The Čechy pod Kosířem castle has long been involved in the protection of the summer colony of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat, which uses the castle’s sun-warmed attic as a summer roost. Every year, from May to August, more than a hundred females rear their young here. Besides Lesser horseshoe, residence signs of other bat species hiding in the crevices between the roof battens were found there (e.g. Serotine and Brown long-eared bats). In addition, the diverse environment of the castle park provides the animals with an abundant supply of food.
In 2018 and 2019, the necessary reconstruction of the castle roof was carefully carried out so the local colony of Lesser horseshoe bat was not endangered. Cooperation in the protection of bats continues with the castle’s participation in the international project LIFE+ PODKOWIEC TOWERS (LIFE20 NAT/PL/001427). During 2023, wooden platforms were installed to protect building structures from bat faeces and at the same time to facilitate regular cleaning after the departure of summer colony.
In June 2023, the castle also joined the ČESON project “Excursions to the world of bats: learn about your threatened neighbours”, thanks to which visitors can learn about the bat life with the help of playful worksheets or the interpretation of local guides. The castle thus became the 69th place on the so-called Bat Map, where the public can learn something about the life of bats (napude.sousednetopyr.cz/navstivte-netopyry/netopyri-mapa). The map has been constantly supplemented with new places since 2015.
To acknowledge the good cooperation in bat conservation, the castle administration was awarded the commemorative plaque “Our neighbour is a bat”. The plaque and certificate were handed over to the castellan during the International Bat Night on September 15, 2023, which was held at the castle for the first time.
