The Enchanted Forest Wildlife Rescue of KY has recently been approved by Fish and Wildlife to start rehabbing wildlife! Woohoo! This is a huge step in the right direction and we are beyond excited to get started.
One of our very first patients is an Eastern Red Bat. Did you know, there are more than 1400 species of bats in the world? In North America, we have what are called micro-bats! For example, Eastern Red Bats weigh anywhere between 7-16 grams...that is incredibly small. Red bats are solitary and like to nest in trees. Scientists describe animals that live in trees as "arboreal." Unlike many native bats, the Red Bat can have up to 5 babies in one litter. Baby bats are called "pups." Red bats are often one of the first species to emerge after sunset and mainly dine on moths and beetles. In the colder months, it is not uncommon to see these bats flying around during the mid to late afternoon. All species of bats are vital to our ecosystems! They are critical for pollination (yep, like bees) and seed dispersal. Thousands of species of plants rely on bats for pollination. Without bats, we would not be able to produce foods like bananas, dates, cashews...and even tequila!
This one particular bat came in severely dehydrated and underweight. He also sustained a compound fracture to his left wing. Due to the fact that micro-bats are incredibly small and delicate, repairing broken bones (especially on their wings) is very difficult and sometimes impossible. Our incredible veterinary staff successfully splinted the wing and he is on the road to recovery! We are hopeful to release him once the weather breaks and he is ready to be on his own once again.
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Works Cited
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/eastred/