Update: Due to weather concerns, this event has been rescheduled from April 11th to May 2, 2026.**

Austin is home to the world's largest urban bat colony, and the man who helped save them is telling their story this Earth Day ATX. Dr. Merlin Tuttle, legendary bat conservationist, is pulling back the curtain on the Secret Lives of Bats with his speaking engagement at the beautiful Huston-Tillotson University campus.

Click below to secure your tickets to a special presentation with Merlin. Auditorium seating is limited, and first-come, first-served without a ticket.

Special Presentation – 1 PM

“The Secret Lives of Bats” with Dr. Merlin Tuttle

📍Agard-Lovinggood Auditorium (just inside the entrance on Chalmers St.)

No group of mammals has been more misunderstood, needlessly feared, or intensely persecuted than bats. Relying on a powerful combination of science, field knowledge, and photography, Dr. Merlin Tuttle — founder of Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation — is helping save millions of bats worldwide.

In this engaging presentation, Merlin will share fascinating insights into the lives of bats, how they live and thrive around the world, and why their ecological services are essential to healthy ecosystems and economies. Through unforgettable stories and stunning photography, you’ll discover how bats benefit agriculture, protect forests, and play a critical role in maintaining a healthy planet.

About Merlin Tuttle:

Merlin Tuttle — often called a real-life “bat wizard”— has transformed how the world sees bats through decades of research, photography, and conservation. His archive of more than 150,000 images is the most comprehensive visual record of bat diversity and behavior ever assembled, with work featured in National Geographic and on the cover of the journal Science, and forming the basis of the Smithsonian book BATS: An Illustrated Guide to All Species. Author of The Secret Lives of Bats and founder of Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation, Tuttle has helped shift public attitudes toward bats worldwide — famously helping protect the colony beneath Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin — while leading international efforts to conserve critical bat populations.

About the Festival:
Earth Day ATX 2026: A Moment for Us is free, family-friendly festival brings people of all ages together to enjoy hands-on activities, nature experiences, art, games, music, storytelling, exhibits, food, and inspiring conversations about our shared future. With interactive exhibits, educational panels, a planetarium, kids activities, and more, there’s something for everyone to explore.

📍 Huston–Tillotson University

📅 Saturday, May 2

🕛 12:00–5:00 PM

🎟 Free, family-friendly festival

This year’s theme, “A Moment for Us,” celebrates reconnecting—with each other, with the Earth we share, and with the community strength that moves us forward.

Bring your friends, bring your family, and join us for a meaningful afternoon celebrating our planet and the people working to protect it. Visit the Earth Day Austin website for more information.

*All proceeds from donations will be split between Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation and Huston-Tillotson University. No donation is needed to attend the presentation or the festival.

Contact the host of "The Secret Lives of Bats" - A Talk by World-Renowned Bat Conservationist, Merlin Tuttle.

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