Bat Chat

3100 Old Floral City Rd, Inverness, FL 34450
Inverness FL 34450

Rec Hall

There is a $3 per car state park entrance fee, exact cash, no change provided. The presentation is free.

Due to popular demand, the Friends of Fort Cooper will again feature a special
program with observation of Florida's bats on Friday, July 19, 2024, at Fort Cooper State
Park. Thanks to a Boy Scout Eagle project, Fort
Cooper has a huge bat house that now has thousands of inhabitants.
The presentation will be given by Shari Blissett-Clark, president, Florida Bat
Conservancy www.floridabats.org and board member of Bat Belfrys Inc., dedicated to
conserving Florida's bats!
Visitors will start the evening in Fort Cooper's Rec Hall with a social,
followed by a presentation by Ms. Blissett-Clark. Join the Florida Bat Conservancy
for a colorful introduction to the bats that fly through Florida's yards and neighborhoods
every night. Learn fascinating bat-facts and discover the environmental and economic value
of these important mammals.
Finally, we will discuss simple steps anyone can take to encourage bat activity in their
yard. Live Florida bats will accompany the program. Following her presentation and any
questions and answers, attendees will take a short hike to Fort Cooper State Park's Bat
House to witness the swarm of bats exiting their house at sundown. It is advised that
walkers wear sneakers or close-toed shoes. It's truly a remarkable sight!
Florida's bats are the primary predators of night-flying insects, consuming millions of
bugs each night. Even a small colony of just 100 bats can eat up to 200,000 insects in a
single night or 65 million insect pests each year! It is estimated that there are over 5,000
bats residing in Fort Cooper's Bat House. Pesticide-free, cost-free insect control!
Seating in the Rec Hall is very limited. Please reserve by calling the park
office at ( 352) 726-0315.