Step into the world of bats with this exciting multimedia presentation with ethnic music and a cultural geographic perspective. Topics include sound waves, ecosystems, food webs, and conservation. See live U.S. bats, South American bats, and rare African bats with 4-foot wingspans!

Intended grades: can be modified for any grade level and adult groups

Activity time: roughly 1 hour

Types of bats shown: a wide variety including large fruit bats from around the world (one with a 4 foot wingspan), and smaller micro bats from North America.

Price:
$175, plus travel, for groups of up to 60
$275, plus travel, for groups of 61-150
$500, plus travel, for groups of 151-300

Please note that programs scheduled in October require an additional $25 fee due to overwhelming demand and presenter overtime.

Discover the most fascinating features and adaptations of many nocturnal animals including bats, flying squirrels, owls, and more. Hearing, sight, smell, and ecosystems will be investigated. Live animals will be shown including bats, owls, and a few surprises.

Intended grades: Second through adult

Activity time: one hour

Price:
$175, plus travel, for groups of up to 60
$275, plus travel, for groups of 61-150
$500, plus travel, for groups of 151-300

Please note that programs scheduled in October require an additional $25 fee due to overwhelming demand and presenter overtime.

This creative program uses a variety of props to intrigue and educate while teaching children not to be afraid of bats and to understand the beneficial things they do. Live bats are shown including small bats and a large fruit bat.

Intended grades: preschool-kindergarten

Activity time: 30 to 45 minutes

Intended learning outcome: gain a greater appreciation for bats, discovering the benefits of bats.

Price:
$175, plus travel, for groups of up to 60

Please note that programs scheduled in October require an additional $25 fee due to overwhelming demand and presenter overtime.

Director Rob Mies shows the group at the American Museum of Natural History, a Malayan flying fox.

What educators are saying about OBC's Live Bat Programs

"The program was excellent and Dale was wonderful with the children. I would definitely recommend this program!" Green Elementary

"Great program-numerous positive comments-we could have filled at least 2 more programs." Rum Village Nature Center

"Great program! The live bats were a big hit!" Elkhart Environmental Center

"The program was excellent. The Power Pint presentation and photographs were great!" Ritter Elementary

Travel Prices in Michigan

Programs out of the state of Michigan

$50: Macomb, Oakland, Wayne County
$75: Genessee, Lapeer, Livingston, Washtenaw
$100: Ingham, Monroe, St. Clair, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, Tuscola
$125: Bay, Clinton, Eaton, Jackson, Lenawee
$150: Calhoun, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Huron, Ionia, Midland
$175: Arenac, Barry, Branch, Clare, Isabella, Kalamazoo, Kent
The following counties need a two program minimum plus travel:
$200: Allegan, Gladwin, Iosco, Montcalm, Mescosta, Ogeman, Osceola, St. Joseph, Van Buren
$225: Berrien, Cass, Crawford, Muskegan, Newago, Ottawa, Roscommon
Please call if your county is not listed or if the program is to be in a state other than Michigan. We will be happy to provide you with travel fees. OBC does travel throughout the U.S. with our live bat programs!

Rob Mies, director of the OBC presents hundreds of programs each year throughout the United States. Please see SpecialLive Bat Programs by the director for information about the shows Rob asappearedon and the many books he haswritten. Programs range from $500 (plus travel) for a single program, $900 (plustravel) fortwoprogramsback to back, and $1000 (plus travel) for keynote addresses.

The focus of his live animal programs is to educate people about the importanceof bats in our ecosystem. He also dispels myths about bats, details the benefitsof bats to the world, and encourages conservation efforts.

Each program last about 60 minutes. Programs are educational, interactive,and include live bats. The OBC director will bring at least 3 bats from 3 differentareas of the world, including North America, South America, and Africa. You don'twant to miss the big fruit bats with wingspans of 6 feet!

Programs that are further than 3 hours from our headquarters at the Bat Zone in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan are best scheduled with a group of locations. The most effective way to do this is to request a dozen or more full-color program brochures that you can distribute to interested parties. Most trips are a collection of libraries, nature centers, nature stores, science centers, and/or schools. Each location pays for the amount of programs they schedule and a portion of the travel price.

Please feel free to contact Rob Mies with any questions, we will calculate the price out for you.

Video-conferencing programs are also available. Thank you for supporting bat conservation, we look forward to presenting for your group!

Attention Teachers: Program Funding Website

DonorsChoose.org is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack. At this not-for-profit web site, teachers submit project proposals for materials or experiences their students need to learn. These ideas become classroom reality when concerned individuals, whom we call Citizen Philanthropists, choose projects to fund.

Teachers can request money for live bat programs if they wish!

Please contact us at obcbats@aol.com if you know of any other funding ideas for other teachers.

Michigan-based business assists local schools and nature centers through a live bat experience!

A statewide economic slowdown won’t hamper a select group of winged visitors from making their appointed rounds at Michigan schools and nature centers, thanks to generous support from Critter Catchers, Inc. This Michigan business established a $1,000 grant, which will be administered by the Organization for Bat Conservation (OBC). The contribution will enable the nonprofit organization — based at the Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills — to offer supplemental funding toward OBC’s Live Bat programs, which bring students and educators much closer to the world’s only mammal capable of natural flight.

“Children have a keen interest in hands-on science, and the Organization for Bat Conservation’s live programs provide an opportunity to foster an interest in bat conservation at an early age,” said David Kugler, president, Critter Catchers, Inc. “While it’s well-known that bats can cause problems when they’re flying around inside our homes, what’s less understood is the important role that they play in local neighborhoods. Michigan’s Brown Bats are tremendous insect eaters, consuming half their bodyweight in insects each night. Imagine the impact of a single bat house that contains a colony of 300 hungry insectivores. Bat colonies provide a natural way to reduce our reliance on pesticides.”
Bringing environmental educators into the classroom is proving to be increasingly difficult as school budget cuts increase, in direct response to a struggling economy. This grant will help ensure that children obtain a diverse education while sparking their natural curiosity for bats. Further information about Michigan bat species and safe removal practices can be found at: www.crittercatchersinc.com.

“ The Organization for Bat Conservation’s live animal program has received numerous awards” Kugler added. “Many of OBC’s bats have become stars in their own right, with appearances on ‘The Martha Stewart Show,’ a ‘National Geographic’ program and other televised events. As a result, these live animal programs are in demand, as a way to educate the public on the benefits of bats.”
To qualify for the grant, recipients must submit a letter of need and publicize receipt of the grant.