An exhibition of underwater photographs by Viktor Lyagushkin was held at the Tbilisi Botanical Garden during the days of natural sciences. Visitors were intrigued by the mysterious underwater creatures, sparking discussions about their appearances. The event also showcased the BlackNets project, which included one of Viktor’s photographs. A crowd of young people gathered, eager to learn more about these silent killers.
Last Friday, Bogdana Vashchenko and Viktor Lyagushkin delivered a lecture about the bats of Georgia near the Gldani Bridge (Tbilisi, Georgia), which is home to a maternity colony of the Kuhl’s pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii) and common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus). The last one is the smallest European bat. It is as small that an adult animal could hide in a matchbox.
During the event, we observed the bats as they hunted and listened to their ultrasonic hunting signals. The event was organized by Auditoria Book Store organized the event.
Celebrating a birthday can take on an extraordinary twist, especially when one chooses to share their passions and experiences with others. On February 1, 2025, Bogdana Vashchenko and Viktor Lyagushkin captivated a group of foreign photographers with an engaging lecture about their enchanting White Sea Bestiary Project. This presentation was not just a showcase; it was a heartfelt journey through their most cherished and unforgettable moments spent amidst the breathtaking beauty of the White Sea. Their talk left the audience inspired and eager to explore the wonders of nature through the lens of art.
Happy birthday, Bogdana!
While bats are still sleeping here in Georgia, On March 16th, I lectured at the Tbilisi Zoo Educational Center on Bats in the World and Georgia. Ioseb Natradze, an Assistant researcher at the Laboratory of Vertebrate Animals of the Institute of Zoology of the llia State University of Georgia, and I talked about how incredible these creatures are, their Super Skills, and their importance to ecosystems.
The students were super interested in all sorts of things, like what bats eat, their social structure, how they give birth, and how they fly. We only left the Educational Center because the room was needed for the following class.
In our next discussion, we will focus on studying bats’ contribution to Tbilisi’s sound environment with the help of researchers from the Ilia State University. I want to thank Irma Bochorishvili for providing us with this fantastic opportunity.
That’s me, Bohdana Vashchenko, lecturing about bats for the 4th-grade students of Ilia State University (Tbilisi) ecotourism faculty on Wednesday, 20 December, 2023. We had a great conversation about the extraordinary abilities of bats and their important role in Georgia’s ecosystems. We also busted some common myths about these fascinating creatures. We also discussed how bats contribute to agroecosystems and how to start bat ecotourism in Georgia.
Thank you, Natalia Bakhtadze Engländer and Ilia University, for this possibility! Thank you, Alexander Bukhnikashvili and Sofo, for coming and sharing your experience, brilliant humor, and knowledge of bats.
I lectured at Akaki Tsereteli State University (Kutaisi, Georgia) on Monday, 25 November 2023. The talk was attended by students from the geography, biology, and ecology faculties in the 1st to 4th courses. National Geographic photographer @viktor_lyagushkin and I spoke at length about our project, funded by the National Geographic Society, which was dedicated to the bats of Georgia. We discussed bats’ unique abilities and the role of bats in Georgia’s ecosystems and debunked some of the myths surrounding them. We also talked about the importance of storytelling and community engagement.
I had the great pleasure of having such an interested and open-minded audience. I appreciate their enthusiasm and engagement. I want to express my gratitude to Irakli Julakidze for making this lecture possible and for his kind assistance during the event.
On April 20, 2021, Ambassador Nikon and National Geographic photographer Viktor Lyagushkin took part in a live broadcast of the Nature Photo Team.
Two hours passed quickly. Best of all, the last broadcast describes the comment by the photographer Kirill Uyutnov:
“Viktor lit the air today! He answered all questions regarding the development of a photographer as a photographer directly and firmly, and told what is worth doing and what is not. This is very valuable for those who have been shooting for a long time. So we look forward to seeing Viktor on NPT again! ”
You can listen to the broadcast recording at the link here.
We visited Evgeny Sazonov on Komsomolskaya Pravda radio (97.2 fm) and talked about our book The White Sea Bestiary, which is about to be published. Talked about miracles that happen, about mermaids and sea demons and our sea adventures.
Live recording is available here
On July 24, Nikon Ambassador Viktor Lyagushkin gave a lecture live on Nikon Ukraine Facebook. At a meeting with fans of the brand, he spoke about his current project in Optimistic Cave – the longest cave of the continent, which is located in the Ternopil region.
Victor revealed the secrets of organizing large projects, the peculiarities of shooting underground, answered questions about the new Nikon mirrorless cameras of Z series and optics for them.
Yesterday, June 23, 2020, Viktor Lyagushkin gave an online lecture on Nikon Russia Instagram about shooting with Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras in the Optimistic Cave and answered questions from the audience. The lecture aroused keen interest, gathered about one and a half thousand listeners in total.