It was the morning after a severe thunderstorm in southern Pennsylvania when a Good Samaritan discovered a flailing juvenile bat on the ground. The bat was on his back, with his wings outstretched and his fangs bared — and his movements became even more
erratic as the Good Samaritan leaned over to record him.
The Good Samaritan felt compelled to help but wasn’t sure whom to contact. So, they posted about the bat online, but they were instantly flooded with discouraging comments.
"Many commenting mentioned contacting [authorities] to euthanize and test him for rabies despite [never] having contact with him,” Pennsylvania Bat Conservation and Rehabilitation (PBCR) wrote on Facebook.
You can see footage of the bat here:
Thankfully, the Good Samaritan also contacted the folks at PBCR, who didn’t see the little bat’s behavior as a sign of rabies. They’d rescued countless young bats who’d acted the same way before and recognized this little guy’s fluttering movements as a defense mechanism.
“[It’s] a natural defensive behavior hoary bats display when threatened,” PBCR wrote. “Do you blame him? He’s so small and still dependent on mom.”
The PBCR team raced to the scene and carefully collected the baby bat, whom they named Nibbles. The poor little guy appeared to be in pain, and a thorough checkup later confirmed the rescuers’ fears.
“Unfortunately, Nibbles was suffering from severe head trauma,” PBCR wrote. “It would be some time before this sweet boy made some sort of improvement.”
Luckily, Nibbles was a fighter, and his friends at PBCR refused to give up on him. After months of round-the-clock care, Nibbles’ condition steadily improved until he was no longer in pain. But there was still something he struggled with: flying.
“Despite our efforts, Nibbles flies but not well enough and crashes during landing,” PBCR wrote. “We continue to work on his cognitive function with hope of release.”
You can see more of Nibbles’ recovery here:
While in rehabilitation, Nibbles befriended another rescued bat at the facility named Clover. The two hit it off instantly, and their companionship soon became a pivotal part of both of their healing journeys.
“The two became inseparable,” PBCR wrote.
Watching Nibbles and Clover’s friendship blossom was the silver lining his rescuers had been waiting for. The sweet boy was once an injured orphan faced with threats of euthanization. Now, he has a best friend by his side and a team of caregivers determined to see him live.
They only hope every fallen bat can be just as lucky.
“[I]f you find one, give them a second chance and contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator,” PBCR wrote. “Bats like Nibbles are deserving.”
