News Release

Mad About Bats

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Rhys Thomas / David Lichtenstein

News Release Date: August 25, 2023
Contact: Jill Harding, 503-861-4414

Join Lewis and Clark National Historical Park on Saturday and Sunday, Labor Day weekend, to celebrate the park residents that gobble up mosquitos and see with their ears! Special guests Rhys Thomas and David Lichtenstein will present a 30-minute comedy circus for all ages, sharing bat science through juggling, lasso work, puppetry, and more.

On September 2 and 3, 2023, Mad About Bats will have an 11a.m. performance at Fort Clatsop and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. shows at Netul Landing.  At 7:30 p.m. join ecologist Dr. Tara Chestnut and Michael Hansen at Netul Landing for an acoustic bat bioblitz. The bioblitz will show us which bat species are active this evening. Participants will take a short walk while listening and recording species’ vocalizations.

Despite bats' superpowers, populations in the park are threatened by a fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome, which arrived in Washington in 2016. To keep an eye (or ear) on bats in Pacific Northwest parks, National Park Service scientists use acoustic detectors that listen for bats' ultrasonic calls and can offer an early warning of unusual activity during winter hibernation that might signal a disease outbreak.

JuggleMania’s Rhys Thomas and wild west roper David Lichtenstein use comedy, circus skills, and audience involvement to educate adults and kids about bats! SEE bat characteristics illustrated with juggling, HEAR echolocation illustrated with trick lasso work, and FEEL silly from all the clowning around. A beautiful bat puppet and large photos of bats are also used to help humans relate to their flying mammal brethren. Rhys Thomas and David Lichtenstein are two of the Northwest’s premiere performers of variety comedy shows featuring comedy, circus arts, and educational themes. Both have performed full time for 30+ years in theaters, schools, and festivals and each has performed in 30+ countries around the world. Although they usually each earn their living performing solo shows, they particularly enjoy collaborating on duo (and trio) shows when possible.

Tags: comedy, circus, bats, acoustic monitoring, acoustic bioblitz, bioblitz, fort clatsop

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