Shark Week may get all the hype, but bat fans know this week is where it’s at. Heck, the bats even have a squad.

Bat Conservation International’s third annual Bat Week, timed not so coincidentally with Halloween, comes at an interesting time for the bat population: Concerns about bat conservation have convinced wind-energy producers to slow down their turbines during the fall. And white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease common among bats, has become a significant issue in recent years.

To get Bat Week going this year, organizers gathered eight kids from around the U.S. to take part in a webcast series that’s airing in schools and online.

“We have eight amazing kids from across the country that have been doing inspiring things for bat conservation,” Bat Week coordinator Micaela Jemison noted in an emailed news release. “These kids have been conducting bat research, investigating threats to bats like white-nose syndrome, and teaching others about the importance of these amazing creatures. We encourage schools across the country to tune in during Bat Week to meet these wonderful kids and learn more about bats!”

The first episode, which aired Tuesday, is above; three other episodes will come later this week. In schools, the educational programs are tied to exercises from Project EduBat.

The annual event has the support of a number of other bat-conservation groups, including the Organization for Bat Conservation and the Wildlife Conservation Society, along with a variety of American and Canadian natural-resources agencies. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service are among the federal agencies taking part.

(Cparks/Pixabay)