GET READY FOR BAT NIGHT! Join local researchers Maggie and Liza to learn more about these misunderstood mammals and the vital role they play in the ecosystem. Local bat research aims to understand which bats live in our area through community science, and to destigmatize their coexistence with humans.

Maggie Jones has been helping to understand bat populations in Chicago since 2018. As a monitor for the Urban Wildlife Institute, she observes bats acoustically by recording their echolocations so we can better understand which species are living in our area.

Liza Lehrer is the assistant director of the Lincoln Park Zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute, and manages data collection for the Institute’s bat monitoring program. Liza’s research interests include landscape, behavioral, and acoustical ecology; managing human-wildlife conflict; and the design of wildlife-friendly cities. She is endlessly fascinated by the resiliency and behavioral flexibility of animals, especially those that live in cities.