FWP Brings Family-Friendly Bat Education to Billings During Bat Week
Interactive events aim to change perceptions of Montana's misunderstood wildlife species

By Staff Writer
Oct 22, 2025
BILLINGS — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is bringing Bat Week to south-central Montana families with two educational events designed to transform public perceptions of one of the state’s most misunderstood wildlife species.
The agency will host “Bat-Stravaganza,” a family-friendly celebration on Monday, Oct. 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Montana Audubon Center, 7026 S. Billings Blvd. The free event welcomes guests of all ages and encourages Halloween costumes as participants explore educational games, crafts, and a simulated bat cave experience.
“Participants at Bat-Stravaganza will learn about the benefits of bats and the threats they face, play educational games, explore a ‘bat cave,’ and make bat-themed crafts,” according to the FWP announcement. The evening will include prizes, snacks and educational giveaways.
The programming continues Tuesday, Oct. 29, with Bat Trivia Night at Thirsty Street Brewing, 2123 First Ave. N., from 6 to 8 p.m. as part of the brewery’s weekly trivia series.
Both events aim to educate families about Montana’s 15 bat species, 11 of which are considered “species of concern” due to habitat loss and white-nose syndrome. The educational focus emphasizes bats’ ecological benefits, including crop protection, insect pest control and pollination services.
The Billings events continue FWP’s expanded approach to wildlife education programming. In August, the agency hosted a bat viewing and wine tasting event in Miles City, combining wildlife observation with local hospitality.
“Right now Montana’s bat species, all of which are insectivores, are feasting nightly on thousands of insects, but as the weather cools and insect populations decrease, the bats will find somewhere to roost and enter a period of torpor,” FWP explained in its earlier programming.
The family-focused approach reflects growing recognition that early environmental education builds lasting conservation awareness. By making bat education accessible through games, crafts and interactive experiences, FWP hopes to counter negative stereotypes while highlighting these animals’ agricultural and ecological importance.
International Bat Week, held during the last week of October, aims to raise awareness about bat conservation and improve public perception of these nocturnal mammals. The timing aligns with Halloween season, when bat imagery is prevalent but often reinforces misconceptions about their behavior and ecological role.
Montana’s bat populations face significant conservation challenges. White-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has decimated bat colonies across North America, poses a growing threat to state populations. Habitat loss from development and climate change adds additional pressure on species already struggling to maintain stable numbers.
The educational programming emphasizes practical benefits that resonate with agricultural communities. Bats consume vast quantities of crop-damaging insects, providing natural pest control services worth millions of dollars annually to Montana farmers and ranchers.
FWP’s non-game wildlife staff regularly conducts outreach to raise awareness about species that don’t typically receive hunting or fishing attention but play crucial ecological roles. The agency’s approach combines scientific education with community engagement, making wildlife conservation accessible to diverse audiences.
The Bat-Stravaganza represents FWP’s commitment to making environmental education engaging for entire families. By incorporating crafts, games and Halloween themes, the program attracts children and parents who might not otherwise attend traditional wildlife presentations.
Both events are free and open to the public. For more information about Montana’s bat species, visit fwp.mt.gov.
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