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When the sun goes down, winged Catalina creatures fly into the night. After a presentation on bats, we’ll suit up with night vision goggles and ultrasonic bat detectors to find them.

Join UCLA bat researchers Joseph Curti and Jill Carpenter for an evening exploring Catalina’s bat ecology. We’ll begin with a short indoor presentation covering the ecology of Catalina bats and an overview of the current research being conducted to better understand local bat populations. After sunset, we’ll travel into the Island’s interior to search for bats using scientific tools to detect them as they emerge to feed.

Departure and Return Details 

This event begins at 5 p.m. at the Trailhead Visitor Center in Avalon, where our guest speakers will speak for one hour about Catalina’s bats and current research. For the second part of the event, we will head into the interior to try to spot bats around 6 p.m. Watch our video about their recent research on Catalina Island for a teaser of this event.

If you’re traveling from the mainland, please note that Catalina Express boat fare is not included. Reservations should be made as early as possible to secure your spot.

We’ll return to the Trailhead around 8 p.m.

What to Bring 

Wear layered clothing, long pants, and sturdy hiking shoes suitable for rugged terrain. Participants may also bring headlights and a water bottle if desired.