When the folks at Raven Ridge Wildlife Center received a call about a bat in need the other day, they figured the rescue would be like any other. They expected to remove the bat from her precarious situation, then care for her at their facility a few
miles away until she was ready to be released into the wild.
When they arrived on the scene, however, they discovered something about the bat that instantly changed their plans.
At first, they drove up to the house in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and began planning an urgent but otherwise typical rescue.
“[The] bat … had been hanging 12 feet up on a porch in downtown Lancaster for the past two days,” Raven Ridge wrote on Facebook. “Being exposed to the elements in one spot for that long constitutes an emergency.”
The crew grabbed the necessary equipment to reach the juvenile bat, then carefully plucked her from her days-long resting spot. When they brought her back down to ground level, a quick assessment revealed just how small and weak she was.
“[She] was found to be severely dehydrated and underweight at just 6 grams for this time of year,” Raven Ridge wrote.
The Raven Ridge crew was used to saving bats of similar size and weight. But as they took a closer look, something about the bat’s face seemed unusual.
“[She] appeared different from the other bats we usually admit to our center,” Raven Ridge wrote. “After sending photos for confirmation, it was determined that this was a northern long-eared bat.”
The confirmation came as a surprise, since a fatal fungus had recently ravaged the northern long-eared bat population to the point of becoming endangered.
“Northern long-eared bats are critically endangered in North America due to a staggering 97% to 100% population collapse caused by white-nose syndrome,” Raven Ridge wrote. “On March 31, 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially reclassified the northern long-eared bat from threatened to endangered under the Endangered Species Act, making it both state and federally endangered.”
You can learn more about her rescue here:
It was then that the staff at Raven Ridge realized the bat needed more specialized care. So, they stabilized the bat at their headquarters before driving her an hour away to Pennsylvania Bat Conservation and Rehabilitation (PBCR).
PBCR “specializes in the research and rehabilitation of critically endangered bats,” making them the best fit for this little one’s care.
“[A]lthough this is just one small bat, it is crucial that it receives proper care and is placed with others of its species to enhance its chances of survival,” Raven Ridge wrote.
As wildlife rescuers, the team at Raven Ridge is committed to working with other organizations across the state to ensure the best possible outcome for all sick and injured animals. And while they initially expected to care for this little bat until she was ready to return to the wild, they’re more than happy to know she’s exactly where she needs to be to thrive.
“Their team is exceptional …” Raven Ridge wrote. “[T]his little bat is now in good hands.”
