- The main purpose of the bat tour is to educate visitors about the importance of bats in the rain forest’s ecosystem and the benefits they provide.
- Bats represent almost 21% of the world’s mammals and in Costa Rica, they make up almost 50% of the country’s mammal species (113 species).
- The bat tour starts off with a multimedia presentation (around 30mins long) detailing bats’ natural history, classification, diversity, adaptations, reproduction, and threats.
- Afterwards, in the company of a professional guide, you have the opportunity to come into close contact with bats (caught using scientific methods that ensure the animals’ welfare).
- They are kept in captivity for less than 2 hours and are then released.
Entrance fee and bilingual guide.
Flashlights, trousers, insect repellent, and tennis shoes.
Do we get to hold a bat in the bat tour?
The guide usually is the one holding it. Bats are small and could be delicate and the purpose of the bat tour is for people to get to know them but we have to be really careful not to harm them.
Do we get to the rain forest at night?
To a part of it. Unless it is pouring we walk to the mist nets used to catch these fantastic mammals.