Spatia Wildlife

A unique holiday, one of the very few in Europe focused on bats and other cave dwellers in Bulgaira.

Bats and caves in southern Bulgaria

Monday 7^th - Wednesday 16^th May 2012

Bulgaria has a uniquely high diversity of bats. Out of the 35 species found in Europe, 33 species are known to inhabit the country. The major reasons for the great species richness and abundance of bats are the country’s transitional geo-graphic position, the mosaic of various habitats, the extensive farming activities in the semi-mountain regions, the high diversity of insects and last but not the least is the presence of over 5 400 caves. Our tour is unique opportunity to learn and enjoy the secret world of the bats. The main focus of this tour is the cavedwelling bats and their underground roosts in the Rhodopes Mountain and the Struma river valley.

All bats are strictly protected by both national and international legislation. This status impose many restrictions for their study and thus provides only limited but still rewarding opportunities to witness their spectacular swarming and foraging behavior. In addition to our activities we will also enjoy lectures and power-point presentations on bats – species, their distribution and biology, conservation, methods of researches etc., as well as on caves and cave dwelling fauna.

The sites we will visit are rich in wildlife, so we will have plenty of options for birds, insects and flora. Among the birds will be Wallcreeper, Levant Sparrowhawk, Rock Nuthatch, Long-legged Buzzard to name but a few.

Each of the caves we will visit in the evenings is situated not more than 20 minutes from the hotel where we will be based. At some sites we will need to have a picnic dinner near to the cave, accompanied by a glass of wine, to keep us warm while waiting for the bats.

Additional information: All activities will be held with minimum (if any!) impact to the bats. The Bulgarian Biodiversity Act prohibits all kind of direct disturbance of bats in Bulgaria without a permit issued by Ministry of Environment and Waters.
The Protected Areas Act regulates the access to all important bat underground roosts. The caves to be visited can be changed depending on the occurrence/absence of bats.
Foraging behaviour of at least five bat species during each of the evening walks is going to be observed.

Equipment: compact LED headlamp, long-range torch (optional), Bat detector and a recording de-vice (optional), sturdy shoes/boots, warm clothes.

ITINERARY

Day 1

Arrival at Sofia airport and transfer to Dobrostan ridge (about two and a half hours of driving). Accommodation and dinner, followed by 20 minutes transfer to a cave nearby.
Observation of an emerging colony of Schreiber’s Longfingered and Long-fingered bats.

Day 2

We will spend the day exploring mountain plateau (30 minutes of driving from the hotel) for its rich wildlife. Picnic lunch. Here we will visit small show cave with few bats.
In the evening we can observe an emerging colony of Greater and Lesser Mouse-eared bats, Schreiber’s long-fingered and Long-fingered bats at the mouth of a cave. Back to the hotel for our second night here.

Day 3

After a breakfast we head to Eastern Rhodopes mountain (two and a half hours of driving). On the way we will pay a visit to the Seven Caves karstic complex. Arrival in Krumovgrad town late in the afternoon. Accommodation (for two nights) and dinner, followed by a transfer to a cave nearby.  Here we can see emerging and foraging behaviour of Greater Horseshoe Bat, Blasius’s Horseshoe Bat and Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat, Greater and Lesser Mouse-eared bats.

Day 4

We will spend the day in the nearest Krumovitsa river valley, which is one of the richest wildlife areas in Bulgaria. In the evening we will have a lecture about the bats’ distribution in Bulgaria, their research and conservation. Option to check (with bat detector) for foraging bats back by the river.

Day 5

Today we drive to Trigrad gorge (four and a half hours of driving). It is a long drive but we have plenty of excellent options for stops on the way at suitable bats’ habitats.
Accommodation for two nights in small family hotel, in the village of Trigrad. After a dinner we will witness the spectacular emerging of thousands of Schreiber’s Long-fingered and Long-fingered bats at the entrance of Devil’s throat cave (ten minutes from our hotel). Foraging behaviour of Daubenton’s Bat, Long-fingered Bat and Whiskered bats at à small pond near Trigrad.

Day 6

During the day we will visit two spectacular show caves: Devil’s Throat and Yagodinskata Peshtera caves. In the evening – foraging behaviour of the Whiskered bats, Lesser Noctule and possibly of the Giant Noctule above a calm mountain stream in a spruce forest near Yagodina village.

Day 7

Transfer to Kresna gorge, situated in the south-west corner of the country. The transfer is about four and a half hours with options for several stops on the way where we can stretch our legs looking for wildlife other than bats.
Accommodation for two nights in a hotel near Kresna, situated in beautiful river valley. In the evening we will have our second lecture on bats and cave dwelling creatures and we can also try our bat detectors along the river behind the hotel.

Day 8

During the day we shall visit a cave with a colony of Greater Horseshoe Bat and Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat. Depending on the time we can allow visit of another cave inhabited by bats. In the evening – bat detecting around the hotel.

Day 9

Today we will visit the nearest Kresna gorge, where there is a mixed colony of Greater Horseshoe Bat and Geoffroy’s Bat in an abandoned house. In the evening – another lecture and bat detecting.

Day 10

Two and a half hours of transfer bring us to Sofia. Depending on the time, sightseeing tour. Departure.

   Greater Horseshoe Bat. Photo Boian Petrov.

   Great Mouse-eared Bat. Photo Boian Petrov.

   Lesser Noctule Bat. Photo Boian Petrov.

   Long-fingered Bat. Photo Boian Petrov.