Citizens research bats: Actions have a big impact!
Learn how citizens in Nürtingen are contributing to research into urban bats and promoting knowledge about their conservation.

Citizens research bats: Actions have a big impact!
On June 16, 2025, an important project to protect urban bat species in Germany was launched by the Leibniz University of Hannover and the Leibniz Institute for Knowledge Media. The focus is on citizen research, which enables participants to actively participate in the study of the ecology of urban bats. This initiative aims to help increase knowledge of biodiversity and promote public engagement in bat conservation. Loud ORF Carinthia The participation of citizens in scientific projects is constantly increasing and opens up new opportunities for collaboration.
As part of the project, night walks took place during which participants recorded bat calls using special detectors. This method is not only innovative, but also offers an exciting opportunity to engage with the local fauna. The results of the four field studies conducted show that participation in citizen research projects leads to a positive change in attitudes towards bats. Participating citizens reported increased knowledge of urban bat species and an increased willingness to get involved in future civic projects.
The role of citizen science
Citizen science plays a critical role in protecting the environment and advancing biological understanding. How Wissenhochn.de reported, there are various positive effects of citizen participation. These range from improved knowledge of bat ecology to a strengthened community of participants.
Surprisingly, the analysis showed that increased participation in these projects did not result in a significant improvement in data analysis. Nevertheless, the general goal remains to raise awareness of the importance of bats in urban areas. What is particularly striking is that the pipistrelle bat likes to use houses as roosts and helps to destroy harmful insects. Therefore, protective measures are particularly important for this species.
Conclusion
The results of these citizen science projects could, in the long term, help to increase the acceptance and protection of bats in urban habitats. This form of community work is important not only for science, but also for raising awareness within society about the need to protect the environment and its diverse inhabitants. The close collaboration between science and the public shows that everyone can make a contribution to preserving biological diversity.