Public institution Nature Park Medvednica has developed a new program for bat lovers. Veternica cave, where 14 bat species live, is located in the area of the Park. For more information abut bats see link

We are offering you to adopt one of them, and your example will help remove negative preconception about these lovely animals.

Bats are flying mammals, which got a bad name for their extraordinary appearance and nocturnal life.

A lot of scary stories surround them, but they are all untrue. For example, stories about bats entangling in ones hair, or about blood sucking bats, are nothing more than preconceptions! The only bat species that live in Croatia feed on insects, and bats know their way around in the dark too well to get entangled in hair.

Bat species that you can adopt are:

Bats that permanently hibernate in Veternica cave

1. Greater Horseshoe Bat (R hinolophus ferrumequinum)
   
   
   


2. Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus euryale)
3. Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros)
4. Daubenton`s Bat (Myotis daubetonii)
5. Geoffroy's Bat (Myotis emarginatus)
6. Natterer's Bat (Myotis nattereri)
7. Lesser Mouse-eared Bat (Myotis blythii)
8. Greater Mouse-eared Bat (Myotis myotis)

Bats that occasionally hibernate in Veternica cave

1. Bechstein`s Bat (Myotis bechsteinii)
2. Brown Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus)
3. Barbastelle Bat (Barbastella barbastellus)
4. Serotine Bat (Eptesicus serotinus)
5. Schreiber's Bat (Miniopterus schreibersi)

Bat species M. schreibersii (about 500 bats), which breeds in the cave, is on the Red list and is endangered.

For more information abut bats species see link

By adopting a bat you will receive:

• A certificate: «My bat lives in Veternica cave!»
• Identification card «John Doe – bat adopter» with a photo and basic information of adopted bat
• A T-shirt with picture of a bat
• 2 free visits to Veternica cave
• 2 annual newsletters via e – mail on what is going on with bats in Veternica cave
• On our web pages we will announce the names of bat adopters with the name of adopted bat

You can name the bat yourself, or we can name it after you!

How can I adopt a bat?

The simplest way is to come directly to Public institution Nature Park Medvednica, which is located on the following address: Bliznec bb, 10000 Zagreb . Before arrival be sure to announce it via e – mail or phone, so that we can get all information necessary for adoption.

That information is:

• Your first and last name
• Home address and e–mail
• Which bat species do you want to adopt
• Name of the bat
• Your T-shirt size (we offer female and male T-shirt, sizes: S, M, L)

If you are not in the possibility to come to Park's headquarters (i.e. if you are not living in Zagreb ) you can pay the annual fee for bat adoption into Park's transfer account, and let us know immediately. In that case we will send the materials to your home address. Of course, before any payment be sure to contact us so that we can get the above stated information for bat adoption.

Transfer account for Public institution Nature Park Medvednica is:

Zagrebačka banka
2360000 – 1101373774

Annual fee for bat adoption is: 150kn

Complete profit from the program goes for the purpose of protection of Veternica cave and its «inhabitants». By adopting a bat you give your contribution to that worthy cause.

List of bat adopters:

1. IVAN PRPIĆ - Greater Horseshoe Bat

The first bat was adopted as a birthday present!

2. BLANKA PERIĆ - Greater Horseshoe Bat female (Tutunka)

3. MAJA SUBAŠIĆ - Barbastelle Bat (Marinko)

4. VESNA MARČEC - Lesser Horseshoe Bat female (Dama)

5. DAMIR BLAZINA - Serotine Bat (Zlatko)

6. SUZANA PLAVLJENIĆ - Serotine Bat (Mici)

7. IVOR MORANDINI KLOVANIĆ - Serotine Bat (Amadeus)

8. MARTINA MANDIĆ - Serotine Bat (Maiko)

9. ILONKA ZNIDARIĆ - Natterer's Bat (Vedo)

10. VEDRAN ZRNIĆ - Brown Long-eared Bat female (Ika)

11. RANKO HASLINGER - Serotine Bat (Sandra)

12. BRANKA MENDAŠ - Serotine Bat (Sunčeko)

13. SLAVICA VUKIĆ - Serotine Bat

14. MARKO RADELJAK - Lesser Mouse-eared Bat (Pero)

15. BOŽO BIŠKUPIĆ - Schreiber's Bat (Maksimirko)

16. SUNČANA GLAVAK - Brown Long-eared Bat

17. ZORAN ŠIKIĆ - Greater Horseshoe Bat

18. JADRAN ANTOLOVIĆ - Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat

19. AMALIA DENICH - Greater Horseshoe Bat (Pingica)

20. DAVORIN MARKOVIĆ - Barbastelle Bat

21. ANAMARIA PURGAR - Barbastelle Bat (Šiško)

22. JAN i DEA DAM - Serotine Bat (Beta)

23. VESNA SOBOTA - Serotine Bat (Mišo)

24. NINO KADIĆ - Serotine Bat (Ninomiš)

25. ANTE GUDELJ - Serotine Bat (Šiško1)

26. SARA RADUŠIĆ - Natterer's Bat (Fifi)

27. PETRA RADUŠIĆ - Brown Long-eared Bat (Luna)

28. DARIA DUŽDEVIĆ - Daubenton`s Bat (Branko)

29. LUNA KRNIC - Serotine Bat (Miškolinić)

30. HANA, ANA i KLEMEN HRŽIĆ - Serotine Bat (Sparow)

31. PAULINA SMOLJAN - Lesser Mouse-eared Bat (Zvjerko)

32. MARTA KOTA - Schreiber's Bat (Alek)

33. INGRID MOGULJAK - Brown Long-eared Bat (Emerik)

34. DAVOR DUBČEK - Greater Horseshoe Bat (Šaško)

35. MAJA DUPČEK - Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat (Šiška)

36. KARLO MRKŠALJ - Greater Horseshoe Bat (Maks)

37. MARIJA I AŠA KAMBER - Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Štef)

38. BRANIMIR TOMIĆ - Serotine Bat (Dominik)

39. DARIA DUŽDEVIĆ - Daubenton`s Bat (Branko)

40. MARIA ANTUNOVIĆ - Lesser Mouse-eared Bat (Pookie)

41. MARTINA PETROCI - Greater Mouse-eared Bat (Mona)

42. JOŠKO MIKLO - Barbastelle Bat (Šiško)

43. ZORAN VESELKO first adopter who adopted two bats!
Schreiber's Bat - Tugu and Serotine Bat - Bugu

44. KRISTINA HLEB - Lesser Mouse-eared Bat (Aster)

45. ANETA KARAKAŠ - Schreiber's Bat (Miki)

46. ALEN MAGDIĆ - Schreiber's Bat (Pipistrelo)

47. ALEKSANDRA HORVAT - Brown Long-eared Bat (Meško)

48. LOVRO ČIŽMEK - Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Brzi)

49. JURICA ČIŽMEK - Schreiber's Bat (Mirek)

50. IZVIDJAČKA ŠKOLA - THE SCOUT SCHOOL - Lesser Mouse-eared Bat (Oštrouhi Scout)