Creatures of the Night: Bats, Bugs, & Biodiversity

Join educators from the Pueblo Zoo

This interactive program blends science, conservation, folklore, and live animal encounters for a memorable look at the creatures that have inspired legends for centuries.

Are bats really the spooky creatures of vampire legends? Join educators from the Pueblo Zoo for a fun and engaging 45-minute program that separates Dracula-inspired fiction from fascinating scientific fact. This interactive program blends science, conservation, folklore, and live animal encounters for a memorable look at the creatures that have inspired legends for centuries.

Discover the story of the Rodrigues fruit bat, a critically endangered species found only on a small island in the Indian Ocean. Learn how the Pueblo Zoo helps protect this bat through conservation, education, and participation in cooperative breeding programs. Along the way, we'll explore the important roles bats play as pollinators, seed dispersers, and insect controllers, and uncover the truth behind some of the most common myths about these often-misunderstood mammals.

The adventure doesn't end with bats! Meet several live animal ambassadors, including Giant African millipedes, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, and blue death-feigning beetles to learn how these unique creatures survive in their environments through amazing adaptations. These up-close encounters will help reveal that even the creepiest critters have an important place in nature.

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