Tourists are shocked when they wake up to see 250 bats crawling through their hotel room
- A couple was staying in a hotel in Plzen when they woke up to 250 bats in the room
- Skin-crawling photos show an animal rescuer trying to capture the creatures
Holidaymakers in the Czech Republic were shocked to wake up to find more than 250 bats in their hotel room.
Skin-crawling photos show an animal rescue worker, Radek Zemen, and the hotel receptionist trying to capture the 256 creatures that had fallen asleep after flying through an open window.
The guests, a couple, were staying at the three-star Art Nouveau Sloven Hotel in the city of Plzen when they decided to leave their bedroom window open before going to sleep.
They had also left the bedroom door to the hallway ajar due to the sweltering heat.
But when they woke up, they found the 256 soprano bats dozing on the walls, ceiling and curtains. Another 11 were found dead.
Holidaymakers in the Czech Republic were shocked to wake up to find more than 250 bats in their hotel room. In the photo: an animal rescue worker tries to catch the bats
When the guests woke up, they discovered that the 256 soprano bats were dozing on the walls, ceiling and curtains
Skin-crawling photos show an animal rescue worker, Radek Zemen, and the hotel receptionist trying to capture the 256 creatures
Now the unnamed couple have been told it was their fault their room was crawling with creatures.
Animal shelter spokesperson Karel Makoň said: ‘A record number of 256 live bats and 11 dead bats were found in room No. 212, where irresponsible guests and then the maid left the window open.
‘The door to the hall was also open, which meant that about fifty bats were hiding in the space between the wall and the ceiling near the furniture.
‘The receptionist showed us a leaflet in three international languages stating that guests should not leave the windows open as there is a risk of bat invasion.
‘But as you can see, it is unfortunately in vain, it is in vain, it is in vain. Even though the pamphlet is in every room.
“Even the maid didn’t bother to close the door and windows, so that dozens of flying mammals could easily enter.”
He added: ‘As long as the warm weather continues, expect an uninvited bat visit.
‘When it becomes noticeably colder, the bats move to other locations.’
The unnamed couple staying at the hotel were told it was their fault their room was crawling with creatures
The guests decided to leave their bedroom window open before going to sleep. They had also left the bedroom door to the hallway ajar due to the sweltering heat. Pictured: the animal rescue worker and hotel receptionist
Czech authorities have been warning locals for several years about ‘bat invasions’ in August and September.
The city of Plzen is located in the middle of the bat migration routes, making it a natural stopping point.
According to the Czech Union of Conservationists, rescue stations found a total of 1,306 bats in apartments and hotel rooms between August and September last year.
The organization says: ‘Since bats can enter your apartment even through a window, the easiest solution is to close the windows completely at night.’
In a hotel in the spa town of Karlovy Vary last year, 400 bats flew into a room through an open ventilation opening, but were then unable to get out.
Nearly half of them died.
Animal rescuer Vilém Babič said at the time: ‘We originally planned to save 100 bats, but when we saw the destruction and started counting, we reached four times that number.
“This is truly a disaster.”
The soprano bat is one of the smallest bats found in the Czech Republic.
It feeds on flying insects and often lives in city parks, uninsulated panel houses and natural natural crevices and hollows.