For Brenda Angus, bats are far more than mysterious creatures of the night – they are vital allies in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Brenda will present Bats: A Keystone Species at Mbango Retirement Village on Sunday, August 16, from 14:00 to 16:00. She will explain why bats play such a crucial role in biodiversity and how protecting them benefits both people and the environment.

The fascinating talk is hosted by Bendigo Conservancy. To book, contact Dee on 071-866-2129 (book by Friday, August 14).

A little about the guest speaker – Brenda and her husband, Stuart, have called Bazley home for the past 26 years, after relocating from Empangeni and Richard’s Bay. While Brenda worked for Bell Equipment during its transformation from a small family-run business into a globally recognised company, Stuart ran his own business.

Although now firmly rooted in Bazley, Brenda has fond childhood ties to the South Coast. Her grandfather lived in Sea Park, where family holidays were spent watching her father and grandfather head out fishing each morning – much to the dismay of the children, who secretly hoped they wouldn’t return with another fish for supper.

Conservation has always played an important role in Brenda’s life. She and Stuart served for many years as Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Honorary Officers, working with a coastal marine group before moving to Vernon Crooks Nature Reserve.

They are both active members of the Bazley community and are on the committee of the Bazley Residents’ Association, the umbrella body for the conservancy.

Her passion for bats began more than 16 years ago when she became actively involved with Bats KZN. Over the years, she has served on the committee as secretary and convenor, assisted with research field trips, helped present training courses and participated in bat rehabilitation.

Today, Brenda focuses primarily on education, sharing her knowledge through public talks aimed at changing perceptions about these often misunderstood mammals.

“I hope to make people aware of the importance of bats in our lives so that we can live side by side happily with these fascinating creatures,” she said.

One of Brenda’s favourite moments each day comes at dawn, when she and Stuart watch the colony of bats living beneath the roof of their home return after a night of feeding.

“They are our little insect warriors, returning from their insect eradication patrols,” she said.

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