Elderly individual devotes himself to sheltering around 400 beasts of the night.
In the picturesque town of Ettenheim, nestled in the Ortenau district of Germany, a remarkable figure named Edmund Hensle is making a significant impact on the local bat population. Known affectionately as the "bat dad," Hensle has dedicated four decades of his life to the conservation and care of bats, particularly the endangered greater horseshoe bat.
The "weekly nursery," an old heating cellar of a former company, serves as the epicentre of Hensle's work. During the day, up to 400 bats find refuge in the warm, over 30-degree Celsius environment of this unique structure. At night, these winged creatures swarm out and go hunting for insects.
Remarkably, the bats in the Ettenheim "weekly nursery" are all females, hanging in small groups from the ceiling. Hensle has observed and studied these bats extensively, even going as far as fitting some with transmitters to track their movements.
Hensle's dedication to bat conservation has not gone unnoticed. Last year, he was honoured with the Federal Cross of Merit in recognition of his commitment. To help guide the bats back to the "weekly nursery" at dawn, he has installed light barriers, using a flashlight with red light to move around in the pitch-black, somewhat smelly space.
Despite turning 80, Hensle shows no signs of slowing down. He plans to continue his work and be there for the bats, contributing to the conservation of these fascinating creatures in Germany.
While Edmund Hensle may not be a widely recognized figure in bat conservation literature, his work in Ettenheim is undeniably important. For more specific information on bat species, their endangered status, and conservation practices in Ettenheim, contacting local wildlife organizations, bat conservation groups, or environmental authorities would be necessary.
Interestingly, some bats from the Ettenheim "weekly nursery" have been found to fly to Alsace and a wastewater treatment plant near Forchheim on the Kaiserstuhl. This migration pattern adds another layer to the intriguing world of these nocturnal creatures that Hensle has dedicated his life to preserving.
Science plays a crucial role in Hensle's work as he studies the endangered greater horseshoe bat population in Ettenheim. His research contributes to the understanding of environmental-science aspects like climate-change impact on bat species. As the bats' lifestyle dictates nocturnal activities, these studies are often conducted during nighttime, shedding light on home-and-garden solutions for reducing insect populations in the region, thereby indirectly benefiting Hensle's beloved bat community.
