This spring, Doctor of Biological Sciences Anton Vlashchenko, co-founder of the Ukrainian Bat Rehabilitation Center in Kharkiv, visited Uzbekistan for the first time. The scientist has been studying bats for over 25 years.

Vlashchenko came to Tashkent to meet the local zoological community and support an initiative to rescue and rehabilitate bats in the city. In an interview, he discussed the role of bats in the ecosystem, myths and stereotypes surrounding them, and the center's work before and after the war in Ukraine.

Vlashchenko studied at the Faculty of Biology of Kharkiv National University, where in his first year he encountered a group of bats that flew into the building. He took them home and has been involved with bats ever since. All his scientific works are dedicated to bats.

The Ukrainian Bat Rehabilitation Center was founded in 2013. It now operates in three areas: environmental education, scientific research, and animal protection and rehabilitation. The center rescues between two to three thousand and seven thousand bats annually.

After the war began, the center's work became more difficult, but the team continues its activities. In the winter of 2023-2024, over six thousand bats were rescued. Vlashchenko plans to continue work in Ukraine and expand international cooperation.

Source: www.gazeta.uz