High Noon Talk: Bats in the Bridge
Programs
August 2, 2023 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Get Batty with Austin Bat Refuge! Meet live bats and discover why these enchanting creatures are so important to our community.
Event Details
High Noon Talks are back and better than ever! Get ready to discover interesting and often untold stories of Texas at our classic, casual lunchtime talk series.
Did you know that Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge is home to the largest urban bat colony in the world? An estimated 1.5 million bats call Austin home and over 750,000 pups are born here each year. Join educators from the Austin Bat Refuge to learn about Austin Bat Colony’s past and what you can do to help ensure its future.
Visitors will also be able to meet with staff from the Texas Department of Transportation to learn about their Texas Bats ‘N’ Bridges program. Find out about the ways TxDOT is helping bats find sanctuary in the Capitol city!
Program is FREE to the public.
Dianne Odegard: After many years as Education and Public Outreach Manager at Bat Conservation International by day and bat rehabilitator by night, Dianne has now gone full-time with her true passion, as co-founder of Austin Bat Refuge. Dianne has been a wildlife rehabilitator since 1990, always working with animals that live near urban areas and human structures, with the hope of educating people about ways to live harmoniously with wildlife.
Lee Mackenzie: As a carpenter and then a nationally-acclaimed design-build remodeler, Lee has been humanely dealing with a variety of small mammals in structures his whole career. A wildlife worker for over 20 years, and now co-founder of Austin Bat Refuge, he creatively combines rehabilitation and permaculture, providing the highest possible quality of life in our “bat gardens,” an Austin Bat Refuge original concept and the first of its kind.
Public programs at the Bullock Museum explore relevant history and celebrate the culture that has shaped our modern world. Through engaging discussions, performances, and scholarship visitors are invited to see local connections and discover how Texas fits into a broader national story.
Your Support Matters
Help us continue to share the story of Texas through free programs with a tax-deductible donation.
Enjoy discounts, exclusive programs, and free access to exhibitions year-round by becoming a member of the Bullock Museum.
Secondary image courtesy Austin Bat Refuge
The Bullock Museum, a division of the Texas State Preservation Board, is funded by Museum members, donors, and patrons, the Texas State History Museum Foundation, and the State of Texas.
