Description
People are seeking help in situations when bats enter their home and they are often harmed by scared people who do not know how to react. The goal of the project is to create a system that will contribute to the protection of bats which enter homes, also of people who are disturbed by the presence of bats and to create a bat rehabilitation center that will offer shelter for those individuals that are injured and need assistance for recovery. A national network of trained personnel will be created, working as volunteers, able to intervene when bats need to be removed from people’s home. People can access a help-line that will offer assistance in solving bat problems. Also, a guideline will be edited for the public, to show how to set free a bat located in somebody’s home. Through the project will benefit not only the bats which find shelter in people’s home and are injured but also people who are disturbed by bats entering their home.
Summary of project results
The project “Help-Line - saves bats, helps people” proposed to support the people who are disturbed by bats entering their homes and also to help the bats which interact with humans and come to be injured and need medical care. Previously, the project promoter was frequently confronted with these types of situation, but, because of the lack of adequate infrastructure, could not always respond to requests. So this project came to help the Romanian Bat Protection Association (RBPA) experts, creating a proper environment to intervene and save bats. Therefore, a sustainable strategy for the protection of bats interacting with building owners was developed. Also, a rehabilitation center for injured bats and those in need of care was set up. This increased awareness and interest in the protection of bats among general public. This was made possible through different activities such as establishing working groups spread across the country consisting of volunteers that can intervene when necessary, setting up an emergency line where people can call whenever they have a situation related to bats, and the acquisition of specific equipment needed to work in appropriate conditions. The association experts had the opportunity to attend an experience exchange at the most complex European helping bats network, Bat Conservation Trust, gathering useful information regarding the operation of such a service. The general public’s awareness related to bat conservation issues was raised through several means, such as creating a web page dedicated to the project, publishing a practical guide, animated spots about bats that were promoted online and on television. The practical guide includes information about how to help a bat which entered a home and who to contact when these situations occur. The videos created were meant to raise awareness and destroy the myths according to which bats are dangerous and useless. Authorities, NGOs and other possible stakeholders were also contacted in order to establish a working relationship and to intervene in as many bat related cases as possible. All these activities have had a major impact on the conservation of bat species, especially those in urban areas, a fact proven by the large number of calls received at the emergency line.
Summary of bilateral results