Casares will once again shine a spotlight on one of its most misunderstood nocturnal residents this September, with the return of La Noche de los Murciélagos, the municipality’s Night of the Bats.
Organised by the Sociedad de Investigaciones Espeleológicas Caxara (SIE Caxara), this year’s event will take place on two evenings, beginning in El Secadero on Friday 18 September, followed by a second session in Casares Pueblo on Friday 25 September.
The initiative aims to introduce residents and families to the world of bats, explain their importance to local ecosystems and biodiversity, and dispel some of the myths and misconceptions that have traditionally surrounded them.
Each evening will combine accessible scientific talks with practical activities and sessions aimed particularly at younger visitors. Participants will be able to learn how bats are located, identified and monitored using radiofrequency equipment, with children also given the opportunity to try some of the equipment themselves.
The programme begins at 7.30pm with the reception of participants, followed at 7.45pm by the talk Vecinos Nocturnos, presented by Alfredo Valencia of SIE Caxara. At 8.15pm, Jorge L. Romo will give a talk on Murciélagos y Biodiversidad, followed at 8.45pm by the children’s storytelling session Murci Historias, with Susana Oda and Begoña Cabrera.
At 9.15pm, the evening moves outdoors for a practical workshop on bat ecolocation, monitoring and identification, using specialist radiofrequency equipment to detect and study bats in their natural environment.
The El Secadero event on 18 September will be based around Plaza de Andalucía and the surrounding area. In Casares Pueblo on 25 September, the talks will take place in Plaza de España, with the ecolocation workshop moving to the Camino de los Molinos car park.
The Night of the Bats forms part of SIE Caxara’s Proyecto Karst 3C: Conocer, Comunicar y Compartir and is also included in the International Bat Night 2026 programme coordinated by EUROBATS, the European agreement dedicated to the conservation of bat populations.
The activity is supported by Casares Town Hall alongside organisations including the Estación Biológica de Doñana, UNED, Universidad Pablo de Olavide and several conservation and scientific associations.
With its combination of science, family activities and the chance to experience Casares’ nocturnal wildlife first-hand, the event offers a different way to discover the municipality’s natural heritage after dark.
