Narva can boast an attraction that is absolutely unique – local bats. Some of the species of the local population of bats are very rare. The bats that live here really love Narva Castle, the Dark Garden, and the attics of the buildings in the Old Town, but mainly they take a fancy to the casemates of the Victoria bastion. It is here on the second floor of the casemates that they hibernate in large colonies in winter time. In summer, they leave the bastion and live in the hollows of old trees in the Dark Garden and in special birdhouses hanging on the trees that were made for them on the insistence of scientists-zoologists.
YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE THAT…
… in heavy frost, bats can transform themselves into «icicles» in order to survive! In winter, when they have nothing to eat, they hibernate in order to save energy and vitality. When they do that, their body temperature drops, their metabolism and heartbeat slow down, and they barely breathe.
… owing to their long hibernation period they stay alive 3.5 times longer than other mammals, and the life expectancy of some bats can reach 40 years;
… bats are very ancient animals. Archaeologists discovered the remains of bats that lived on our planet 55 million years ago;
… one bat can eat up to 600 mosquitoes within an hour;
… when flying long distances, bats use the Earth’s magnetic field due to their «inbuilt magnet compass».
… Bat Night, one of the most unusual celebrations in the field of nature conservation, is held on 20-21 September throughout the world;
… when flying, the bats sing songs using a complex combination of syllables. However, the human ear is not capable of understanding the true value of their singing, because they communicate using ultrasound.