Eco Experts: Hollywood Did Not Harm Bulgarian Bats

Bulgarian Environment Minister, Nona Karadzhova, ordered a probe in Devetashka cave after naturalist NGO alarmed bats inside were harmed by the filming of a Hollywood blockbuster. Photo by BGNES

The bat colonies in Bulgaria's Devetashka cave have not been harmed during the filming of the Hollywood blockbuster "The Expendables 2."

The announcement was made Tuesday by the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Waters, after concluding an on the spot check ordered by Environment Minister, Nona Karadzhova.

The probe came on the heels of eco activists alarming that due to the noise during the shooting of the movie bats inside the cave, a key spot for spending the winter season, have come out of hibernation much earlier than usual and it is unclear how many will survive until spring. They also found a number of dead bats.

It was reported a week ago that the European Commission has sent a letter to the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Waters, inquiring information on the case with the dead bats in the Devetashka cave.

Experts of the Ministry and of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BAS, now say that the majority of bats were found to be in hibernation and the dead ones were within the norm of the usual mortality rate.

They have monitored over 7 300 different specimens of bats. The total number of bats hibernating in the cave was estimated at 20 000.

Thus, the Ministry rejected Tuesday claims Hollywood activities have harmed the bats, but ordered a ban on  all visits in the cave for the entire winter until hibernation is over.

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