Thanks to all participants!
Date: October 6, 2025
starting at 9:00 AM | Location: Haus des Meeres, Vienna
Languages: German & English
About the Symposium
BAT X AUSTRIA
is a one-day symposium in Vienna that brings together ecological research, veterinary medicine, wildlife rehabilitation, science communication, and environmental education. The event addresses current challenges in bat conservation from a transdisciplinary perspective. It focuses on integrative approaches that combine scientific knowledge, practical expertise, and public engagement.
In the face of accelerating biodiversity loss, climate-driven habitat shifts, and the growing risk of zoonotic diseases, dialogue between research, practice, and society is becoming increasingly vital. The symposium features scientific talks, critical discussions, applied case studies, and participatory formats that transcend disciplinary boundaries and professional domains.
Our Instagram Account: @batxaustria
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Evening Excursions & Informal Pub Event
After the symposium (from 5:30 PM), we offer a selection of guided excursions with limited spots. Please choose only one excursion – full descriptions are listed below.
⚠️ At the end of August, all registered participants will receive an email with a link to select and book their spot. Places are limited, so register quickly ;)
Pub-Quiz + Evening: At 8:00 PM, we warmly invite you to join our informal pub evening: a relaxed space for networking, exchange, a small raffle, and winding down together.
Participation in both the excursions and the pub event is limited to registered main event attendees. More infos below :)
Choose Your Excursion
Bat Walk with Isa Klee
Discover the city as a habitat for bats – interactive, acoustic, and full of aha moments.
On this evening walk, we explore questions of urban conservation, visit the bat boxes on campus buildings (Öko Campus Vienna), follow bats using detectors, and develop ideas for bat-friendly cities.
Meeting point at 5:30 pm at the main entrance of the Haus des Meeres. From there, we will take bus 13A to the Campus (Brain Research Department), Spitalgasse 4, 1090 Vienna. The Bat Walk will start at 6:15 pm (please be punctual). Volunteers will be on site to help you.
Limited to 20 participants – available only for registered main event attendees.
Fledermaus Station Österreich:
Behind the Scenes at the Bat Rehab Station
What is life like for a bat rescue centre on a daily basis? What does an injured bat need? How long does a bat stay with us?
This exclusive excursion offers rare insights into bat rescue work, including feeding and caring for injured animals, as well as encounters with long-term patients. Meeting point at 5:30 pm at Schadekgasse 6/1a, 1060 Vienna (a two-minute walk from Haus des Meeres, opposite street side). Volunteers will be on site to help you.
Limited to 25 participants - available only for registered main event attendees.
BioBox – Crossborder Biodiversity Toolbox - The Game
Co-Designing a Wildlife-Friendly City for Bats and Beyond
An Interreg Italy-Austria Project
Biodiversity is in stark decline worldwide, and bats, as key indicators of ecosystem health, are no exception. Cities, with their structural diversity and unique micro-climates, hold immense potential to become biodiversity hotspots. In Europe, up to 70% of green spaces in urban areas are privately owned, while industrial and commercial buildings occupy significant portions of the landscape. These spaces represent untapped opportunities for wildlife-friendly transformation. In this interactive game/workshop, we invite you to co-design the wildlife-friendly city of your dreams, with a special focus on bats. Step into the role of a key stakeholder – whether as a private citizen deciding the fate of their garden, a supermarket manager weighing the benefits of a rooftop meadow, or an urban planner envisioning bat-friendly corridors. Together, we will explore solutions to integrate biodiversity into urban spaces, leveraging the tools and insights of the BioBox project.
This is your chance to shape actionable strategies and propose meaningful changes that can be implemented through the BioBox initiative! Let’s collaborate to create cities where biodiversity, including bats, can thrive. Whatever you decide, remember: “Be the change you want to see in the world”.
Meeting point at 5:30 p.m. at the Haus des Meeres, main event room. Volunteers will be on site to help you.
Limited to 20 participants – available only for registered main event attendees.
Bat X Austria - Pub Quiz
Where knowledge meets fun – join us for the Bat X Pub Quiz at Down Under (1060 Vienna) and test your smarts on bats, biodiversity, and curious facts from the world of the symposium. Play solo or in a team, with a drink in your hand and curiosity in your mind, everyone’s welcome!
We’ll meet at 8:00 PM at Down Under, Windmühlgasse 32, 1060 Vienna. Prizes will be provided by supporting artists and sponsors - stay tuned!
Limited to 60 participants – available only for registered main event attendees.
BAT X AUSTRIA
Thank you!
BAT X AUSTRIA
is made possible through the generous support of:
🦇 Stadt Wien – Magistratsabteilung 22 (MA22)
🦇 Förderung für Klima- und Umweltprojekte in Wien
🦇 Veranstaltungsförderung der Universität Wien
(Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution)
Other sponsors:
All sponsors are listed in random order.
