The Bat Jungle Monteverde Costa Rica is one of the most interesting tourist attractions in the Monteverde area. Founded by Dr. Richard Laval, a well-known bat biologist, in 2006, the Bat Jungle gives visitors a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the amazing world of bats. This incredibly comprehensive and detailed exhibit is based on more than 40 years of worldwide research on the lives of bats by Dr. Laval
Visitors can watch over 95 bats of 8 different species flying around, eating, interacting with each other and nursing their babies in a fascinating fly space. This 57 ft. long enclosure that’s home to the bats was built to resemble night time in the cloud forest. If you’re lucky, you may even see a bat give birth right before your eyes.
Make sure to visit the bat museum which offers a penetrating look into the importance of bats for the local ecosystem, their diversity and the different species that exist in Costa Rica and the world. You will also learn about where bats roost and their diet, which consists of fruit, nectar, insects, frogs, fish, birds lizards and mice. There is also a fascinating exhibit which compares bat wings with bird wings, as well as one with figurines of bats, vampire bats and baby bats’ faces.
One of the most exciting features of the Bat Jungle is the “Bat Detector”. This special microphone picks up ultrasonic echolocation calls and social calls made by the bats flying around, broadcasting the calls through loudspeakers in the bat visitor viewing area.
Don’t miss out on the exhibits that teach visitors about the importance of bat conservation for controlling the bug population, regenerating tropical forests and pollinating flowers. There is also information about bat conservation efforts, including bat exclusion (gently moving bats out of a place where they are unwanted) and making bat houses.
The Bat Jungle in Monteverde Costa Rica is open from 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM every day of the week. The best time to visit the Bat Jungle is between 9am to 5pm as the bats are the most active during this time frame. Visitors can explore the exhibits on their own or go on a guided tour. The guided tours last between 45 minutes to an hour. During the tour, visitors learn about echolocation, bat-wing aerodynamics and other amazing flying-mammal facts. If you’re interested in learning more about bats in Costa Rica, make sure to include the Bat Jungle in your itinerary!