Stimulated by proclamation of the International Year of the Bat, the European Bat Night was held at a record number of sites in the Czech Republic in 2001. The number of 70 participants has been exceeded in four cases, the other events were smaller but spread throughout the country (in total, seven in Bohemia and seven in Moravia).

• Liberec: More than 250 people participated in the EBN in the "Pansky lom" quarry on August 24. After the dusk, lectures on bats and their conservation were given in a large tent. Postcards and folding picture-books with bat photos and other materials have been sold. In total, 38 netted bats of 6 species and two handicapped individuals have been demonstrated to the visitors. The event has been very successful and has been presented in three local newspapers and two regional TV channels. It was organised by the Czech Bat Conservation Trust and the Czech Union of Nature Conservationists (Daniel Horacek and Miroslav Joza).
• Brno: The EBN was held in the City Zoo on September 1. Mojmir Vlasin welcomed about 70 participants. A lecture on Czech bats was given by Jiri Gaisler and a Swedish film on bat life was shown. Then there was a test of bat knowledge, three winners have gained bat-shaped pastry and T-shirts with bat pictures. Zdenek Rehak demonstrated bat sounds and auction of a bat box was organised. At the end of the evening, the participants walked in groups in the zoo and the use of bat detectors was explained. Unfortunately, no bats have been caught in the net because of bad weather. However, live pipistrelles and a lesser horseshoe netted at other sites were demonstrated. Postcards and folding picture-books with bat photos, pastry and wooden toy bats etc. were sold and the installation of bat boxes was shown. The EBN was organised by the Czech Bat Conservation Trust and Veronica.
• Mikulov: Despite bad weather, 178 participants (including two English ladies) came to the Turold cave on September 1. Six netted bats of 4 species was demonstrated, including ringing, and interesting facts about bats were discussed. The event has been organised by the Czech Union of Nature Conservationists in co-operation with the Palava Protected Landscape Area Administration (Josef Chytil and Dagmar Chytilova) and has been presented in the media (one national magazine and two regional newspapers).
• Znojmo: The EBN was held at a picturesque site with ruins of old mills about 7 km southwest of the town of Znojmo, within the Podyji National Park, on August 31. A lecture on history of the site and on bats of the region was given by Vladimir Hanak and Antonin Reiter and netted bats were shown to about 130 visitors. Bat sound records and the use of bat detectors have been also demonstrated. The event was organised by the South-Moravian Museum in Znojmo and the Podyji National Park Administration and was presented in the local press.

For the first time, the event was held in six show-caves which are administered by the Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection. At all sites, postcards and folding picture-books with bat photos have been distributed.

• Konepruske jeskyne (the district of Beroun): 18 people participated in the EBN event, organised by Ivan Horacek and Ondrej Volf. Netting of bats and the use of bat detectors were demonstrated. Moreover, the caves which are an important bat hibernation site have been visited.
• Chynovska jeskyne (the district of Tabor): A slide show and demonstration of netted bats and of the use of bat detectors to about 45 visitors was organised by Michal Andreas. Then there was a guided walk through the cave. The event has been presented in both national and local press.
• Jeskyne Na Pomezi (the district of Jesenik): bat talk managed by Jiri Rejl and Vladimir Hanzal, 8 participants.
• Jeskyne Na Spicaku (the district of Jesenik): bat talk organised by Jiri Rejl and Vladimir Hanzal, 23 participants
• Zbrasovske jeskyne (the district of Prerov): bat talk managed by Zdenek Rehak, Jiri Safar and Vladimir Hanzal, 25 participants, the event was presented in the local press
• Javoricske jeskyne (the district of Olomouc): bat talk organised by Jiri Safar and Tomas Bartonicka, 5 participants.

The other new sites:

• Praha: Unfortunately, only a small event was held in the City Zoo on September 6. Because of the main organiser’s (Ivan Horacek) health problems, the date was changed several times and in the end, only about 20 people visited the slide and film show given by Eva Suchomelova and Vladimir Hanzal. There was also a walk with bat detectors and publicity materials were distributed.
• Votice (the district of Benesov): The event was organised at the Home for Handicapped Animals by Petra Nova and Pavel Krizek on August 25 and included a slide show and a walk with bat detectors. 19 people have participated.
• Ceske Budejovice: The EBN was held in the mines of the Hosin hill on August 25. About 25 people came to see the netted bats of 5 species and to talk about their life. Records of bat sounds have also been demonstrated. The event was organised by Radek Lucan and has been presented in the media (both national and local radio and local press).
• Nachod: About 20 people met in the tea club in Nachod on August 31. Jaroslav Barva talked about bats and showed slides with bat photos and the records of bat sounds. The EBN was presented in the local press.

Other activities within the International Year of the Bat:

• posters on bats and their conservation, prepared by Vladimir Hanzal and Eva Suchomelova, have been installed in 9 show caves throughout the country a folding picture-book with bat photos and basic facts
• about bat life has been published by the Czech Union of Nature Conservationists in Liberec (Daniel Horacek and Miroslav Joza)
• several lectures and bat talks have been held (e.g. two bat talks were organised by Petra Nova and Pavel Krizek in Votice – one for the general public in January, the other for young naturalists in September)
• an exhibition of bat photos with information on the life and conservation of bats has been made in Votice several publicity wall posters have been hung (e.g. in Znojmo and Prague)
  
  

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