Lecture: ‘Bats in Your Backyard’

Dr. Rada Petric, Assistant Research Professor and Director of the UNC Institute for the Environment’s Highlands Field Site, will be the guest lecturer next week for the Zahner Conservation Lecture Series.  Her lecture, titled “Bats in Your Backyard,” will take place on Thursday, June 26 at 6 p.m. at the Highlands Nature Center. The program is free and open to the public, with a small reception to follow.
Urbanization and changes to the landscape are introducing new challenges for wildlife. Sound, light, and chemical pollutants such as microplastics are becoming more common and are impacting ecosystems in complex ways. In this talk, Dr. Petric will explore how these emerging threats are influencing the behavior, biology, and survival of bats and small mammals, often in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. Drawing on several ongoing studies, she will highlight how these species are responding to human-driven disturbances and what that means for conservation in our region.
Dr. Rada Petric is an Assistant Research Professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and the Director of the UNC Institute for the Environment’s Highlands Field Site. She is a field biologist with broad research interests in animal behavior, neuroendocrinology, and conservation. Her work focuses on how human activity changes animal behavior and the potential consequences for entire ecosystems.
The Zahner Conservation Lecture Series is a cherished tradition that brings together scientists, conservationists, and nature advocates each summer to share their knowledge with the public. Lectures are held every Thursday evening (excluding July 3) at 6 p.m. through Aug. 14 at the Highlands Nature Center (930 Horse Cove Road).