2016_WWRA_Bat_Rehab_Talk_Notes 2.4 MB

2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Wisconsin Bat Rehab:
Conforming to WNS
Regulations and Still
Providing Excellent
Rehab Care
Crystal Sharlow-Schaefer
Lisa Schlenker
©2014 Wisconsin Humane Society. All rights reserved.
www.wihumane.org • P: 414-264-6257 • F 414-431-6200 • 4500 West Wisconsin Avenue • Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208
Disclaimer: This is brief presentation and is not all inclusive!
Please contact us directly for specifics and detailed information.
Crystal Sharlow-Schaefer: [email protected] or 414-431-6196
Lisa Schlenker: [email protected] or 414-698-9568
Additionally – note that bat regulations change frequently, and although this information is
accurate at the time it was presented, they very likely will need to be modified as regulations
change.
The focus of this presentation is cave-bat care, with brief notes about foliage-roosting bats.
Foliage-roosting bat species have unique and special care requirements which is an entire
presentation on its own. Please contact us for details pertaining to their care!
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Bat Rehab – Is it Possible?
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No, because limited resources
Time and functioning brain-power needed
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You’ll need to maintain extra permits (additional annual
reports)
Enter bat data into DNR database monthly
Admission complexity due to serious human health
risk and regional regulations
Regulations change seasonally and with new disease
information
EXTREME high-maintenance patients
They need multiple separate spaces,
additional caging and supplies
Strict practices and protocols need to be
followed
Why Should You Still Consider It?
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Bats are important
Once established, you likely possess/can easily gain
the necessary skills
Education potential to reach the public is great
Public demand/need for bat rehab services
Bats need your help now more than ever
White-nose Syndrome has drastically changed regulations, and regulations continue to change
as more in learned about this emergent disease.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Permits and Personal Health
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Permit Requirements
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Vaccination *Best Practices* Protocol
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Tetanus
Pre-exposure Vaccinations
• Titer checks every 2 years
Rabies
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State E/T clearance for rehab
Will you keep non-releasable bats for education? Then
we’ll need to talk more…
In the future?
Overall probability is low - however bat rehabilitation
puts YOU at HIGH RISK!
What counts as an exposure? www.cdc.gov
WEAR GLOVES!
Had an exposure with a rabid bat?
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GET POST-EXPOSURE VACCINATIONS!
Understand that regulations may change, which may change permitting requirements in the
future. We are strong advocates of keeping a clear line of communication with your regulatory
agency to ensure you are in complete compliance.
Rabies is serious, and it can be scary, as shown by this image which was found through a simple
Google image search under, “rabies”. This art makes these animals, even the kitten, all seem
vicious! However, if you follow best practices and information on the CDC website, you can be
safe and continue to rehabilitate bats.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Client Health Protection
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Preserving human health preserves you and your work.
Rabies is real. We admitted at least 3 positive bats in 2015.
Not all rabid bats show symptoms immediately.
Shocker – the public can and will lie to your face!
Work with you region’s health departments, professionally.
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Possible exceptions to calling the local health department?
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Repeat clients
When rescued and transported by WHS staff/trusted volunteers
Found outside (in certain circumstances)
Born on-site
Note: “at least 3” is underlined on purpose. Those are the bats that we tests and were
confirmed rabid. It is possible that there were additional asymptomatic rabid bats in care,
reinforcing why following personal protective practices are so important.
We can discuss at length our public protocols regarding human and public health. Please
contact us directly to learn the details of our practices.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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White-nose Syndrome
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Caused by invasive fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans
Doesn’t affect all species of bats equally
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Pd thrives in cool damp temperatures, grows on multiple substrates
Bats normally groom Pd off, but can’t do this while hibernating
Hibernating bats are awakened by Pd and therefore die from
starvation/exposure – decimating wild populations
Cures? Supportive care and prevent the spread.
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Primarily cavity-roosting (hibernating) bats, with some species more resilient than others
More information continues to be learned as research projects are completed. Please make an
effort to read the peer-reviewed published papers on White-nose Syndrome instead of the
information that may be published in popular media. While popular media may get the gist of
the paper, it may be inaccurately described (i.e. I’ve read before that a WNS “cure” was found –
this was misleading, as the actual published paper didn’t draw this conclusion).
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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DNR Quarantine Guidelines
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Not from rehabber perspective; language can seem “clunky”
Thorough, though has some holes
26-page document
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5 pages instructions
Appendix A: WNS Pre-screening (UV pre-screening and wing scores)
Appendix B: NWRA/IWRC Minimum Standards! Nice!
Appendix C: USFWS – National WNS Decontamination Protocol
Appendix D: WI Bat Rehab Regions
Appendix E: USGS Submission of Wildlife Health Lab Guidelines for WNS Suspect Bats
This document is public, but I can’t seem to find it on the DNR website. Email me at
[email protected] and I can send you a copy. Keep in mind, however, that this is
somewhat of a “living document” and is subject to change frequently as new information is
learned about WNS. The DNR sends updated versions to bat rehabbers directly.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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DNR Regulations
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Organizations are complex and change can be challenging and slow.
Don’t be scared of “The Man”; “The Man” can be your ally
“The Man” is still your regulatory agency
Give them respect/trust, but if you disagree, you can voice it.
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Politely. Respectfully.
But! Choose your battles wisely.
If you break the law intentionally – you are on your own!
WNS research is very new, so protocols keep changing. You must accept this as part of the deal
with bat rehab. Know that ultimately, our goals are the same as our regulatory agency – to save
bats. You must be on good terms with the DNR to rehab bats successfully and legally in
Wisconsin.
Wildlife Rehabilitators, in my experience, can have a vast range of views of their regulatory
agency/agencies. If you have challenges with authority or following rules – you are going to
have difficulty with being legally compliant with WI bat rehab regulations.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Regulation HIghlights
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Established regions. What region are you in? NO admit exceptions
Track all patients individually while in care
Need location found at admit
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What species is this bat?
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WNS pre-screening on all admits: Wing score and UV wing screening
“Decontamination rules” exist 24/7/365
30-day admit holding period “quarantine” exist November 1 - April 30
DNR Database – bat entries on “monthly basis”
High alert for Myotis or Perimyotis species
Spring release moratorium until DNR grants permission each year
DNR preference is for bats to be marked pre-release for data (banding)
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Bats must be released back within 2 mile radius of address found
Foliage-roosting bats and cavity-roosting bats CANNOT MIX
We keep foliage-roosting bats off-site, with a privately licensed advanced wildlife rehabilitator
that we have partnered with.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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WI Bat Rehab Regions
We need more bat rehabilitators!
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Current Public WNS Map
Confirmed WNS: Grant, Crawford,
Richland, Dane, Door
Suspect WNS: Iowa, Lafayette,
Dodge
From www.whitenosesyndrome.org
We check these maps frequently, as they are updated as more data comes back from regional
monitoring studies.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Admission – Phone Call
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What time of year is it? “summer” or “winter”?
Winter? Yes? – It needs help!
Summer – Is it injured, a baby, in a bad location, or did a person/pet touch it?
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It needs to get to a rehabilitator.
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No? If it’s in a safe spot, leave them overnight. Call us tomorrow AM if still there.
Was bat found in your region? Yes or No
• No – refer to closest rehabilitator, still cover rabies information
Exposure: Did any person or pet have direct contact? Yes or No
• Yes – still needs to come to us*, but note that and perhaps pre-call H.D. Brief on rabies info and to
prep them for testing potential
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Transport: Safely contain and transport to us. (“I can’t” options)
• Talk them through this in detail. We send people to our website.
• We do occasional bat pick-ups but never advertise this
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What not to ask:
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What species is the bat? Does it look like it has rabies?
Bat calls are often long and involved. Invest the time at this stage to make it easier when they
arrive.
If you find an infant (infants are furless or nearly furless) on the ground under a roost – DON’T
leave it there overnight - if possible get it back into roost. Moms can't usually pick up an infant
or juvenile from the ground. Foliage-roosters - same thing - Moms grounded with pups often
can't overcome the inertia, so pick them up with gloved hand and twig or towel & elevate them.
THEN - if they are still there in same location or back on ground in the AM – that bat needs to
come in for care.
Call us in the “off-season” for our help to get your phone protocols established before you get
these calls at your center!
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Admission – Walk-in
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May be an emotionally elevated situation.
Be on alert!
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Animal removal agency gone bad?
Frantic household situation prior to arrival?
Spouse/friend/acquaintance/doctor/random person
badgering them?
They maybe fearing imminent death of
them/spouse/child at this point from rabies
misinformation
Take control of the animal – then have a
conversation
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Determine the region where the bat was found
Circumstance and actual address found
A phone number to contact them with more questions.
Explain to them the basics of rabies, why you’re asking
all these questions.
Exposure spiel “Urgency, but not emergency”
You are making a judgment call on this person. Trust
your gut.
As much as you care about bats – you must care about people, too. By being a compassionate
listener, they will be more willing to listen to your advice – and also more likely to follow your
recommendations. This is important not only for this bat, but also all future bats that they
encounter (and the people they tell about you)!
Note on this bat the importance of careful observation: she has severe facial swelling here, and
some redness. This bat actually had severe head trauma and a broken tooth. She had to be on
a soft-food blended diet for some weeks, but eventually made a full recovery.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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What is “Decontamination”?
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Think disease prevention and cleaning
Avoid cross-contamination at all costs
You can’t see spores, play “imagination game”
Decontamination and Prevention Protocols are
year-round
Protective gear: You look like a mechanic.
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Coveralls, booties OR footbath, exam gloves over leather
gloves.
We love bleach!
Change air filters according to protocol
All bats housed independently, unless from
same hibernaculum (5 miles), up to 3 weeks
All bats have own personal
equipment/supplies/tools – bat use only
Laundry/garbage at least 1x per week
Wash it, then disinfect it…or toss it out.
Although it’s not environmentally-friendly, disposable items (dishes, syringes, booties, etc.) help
us to follow protocols efficiently and effectively.
Also note the order of which you care for bats. Most recently admitted bats should be cared for
last, since they have the highest potential of infection yet.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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What is “Quarantine”
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Winter-time rules (November 1-April 30)
All cleaning, disinfection, and isolation rules still apply
Wing score and UV wing screening is very important!
Bats must be in quarantine for 30 days before moving to post-quarantine room
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If 2 rooms aren’t available, then continue standard quarantine practices
If 2 rooms are available – then STILL continue with all quarantine practices – just have passed 30 days
in captivity mark; meaning less exposure to new patients
All releases on halt
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Need DNR approval to release in Spring
Cages on the left are a type of domestic animal soft-carrier. These were randomly donated, so
they’re not our first preference since their shape is unusual, but they still function well for us.
The cages on the right are awesome! These are “Ware Twist-N-Go Kennels” (14.5” x 12.75” x
21”) which are a soft cage made for domestic animals. We got them from Blain’s Farm & Fleet,
and then modified them by sewing mesh into the door. We use these as the 2 nd stage indoor
cage, after a patient has been stabilized in a smaller hospital tent (bat mini-tent) – generally
after they have passed their 30-day quarantine.
Note paperwork pinned to each cage. It is important to label each cage and keep track of care
notes well, for accuracy in tracking individuals and care consistency. You must keep track of
individuals!
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Bat Room Options
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You need space:
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Dedicated to cave bats
• In-quarantine
• Out-of-quarantine
Dedicated to tree bats
What if accidental admit out of region?
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Floor that can be sanitized
Running water and floor drains are nice
Electricity is also important
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Interior design for bats (bat-proofing):
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Screen off all vents and door openings (ceiling, wall,
floor)
No open water (cover toilets)
Picture worst-case scenario and prevent that!
We have bat mini-tents inside of the wooden boxes (with several air holes). The wooden boxes
are sealed (so they are water-resistant and easy to clean and disinfect). The wooden boxes are
one of the ways to make a bat mini-tent secure as the boxes are chew-proof (the bat mini-tents
are able to be chewed through by a determined-to-escape bat).
Note: Bat proofing a room
This picture is of a bathroom we use as our first quarantine room for cave bats. There is a white
tray taped over the toilet, and then this space was readily available for housing using properlyspaced shelving. This room also has a ceiling vent that has been covered with screen netting,
and screen netting has been applied along the bottom edge of the entry door. Obviously,
secure caging is vital to prevent escapes…but just in case of some unforeseen event
happening…should a bat escape an enclosure, they most definitely cannot escape from the
room.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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To Hibernate or Not to Hibernate
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Patient compromised in any way?
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DO NOT HIBERNATE SICK/INJURED ANIMALS!
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How many bats do you have?
Do you have the knowledge and capability
to do it safely?
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We don’t force hibernation, but do allow
bats to drop into torpor periodically.
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Why not keep them all awake, warm, and
active?
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Assume all your females are already pregnant.
Captive stress
Our facility’s bat rooms are kept at approximately 65°F, with a cool humidifier. If bats need to be
warmed, they are supplied with a heating pad on low. Heating pads should NEVER be on the
bottom of a cage (a compromised bat may be unable to escape this heat), and instead are
clipped to the outside side of a cage, with a towel protective barrier.
Explaining these images from the David the Gnome series: a bat episode exists! It’s call “Airlift!”
and is episode #21. Amazing. It’s about rescuing 200 bats that are hibernating. The bats in this
show are not compromised or injured, and therefore, since they have 200 of them, the gnomes
decide to keep them in hibernation rather than to wake them. I agree with that decision! My
favorite part is when David’s gnome-wife says how much better she feels that the bats are
getting “professional care” (because they take them to a gnome animal hospital). Yes! Every
bat should be so lucky!
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Caging Options
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Bat mini-tents (www.batworld.org)
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Soft-sided cat carriers or soft-sided dog
kennels
Reptariums (wash mesh first to soften)
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Not ideal:
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Not chew-proof! Double-cage these
Anything hard-sided, too smooth, or too rough
• Can cause abrasions/lesions when crawling
• Bats are very sound-sensitive
Supplemental heat (heating pad?)
Supplemental humidity (humidifier? Warm
humidifier?)
Lighting
Extreme caution when opening all zippers
to avoid catching on tiny toes
Bat mini-tents. We love them for short-term hospital care, but they are susceptible to being
chewed out of (rare, but every once in a while a clever bat does this). ALWAYS double-cage
these tents just in case that may happen. We double-cage using wooden boxes, reptariums, or
soft kennels).
ALWAYS be cognizant of where a bat is roosting. A quick opening of a zipper can cause serious
harm to a bat hanging on the zipper! If a bat is roosting on the zipper, gently blow air at him to
encourage him to crawl to another location before unzipping the tent.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Bat Hospital Cage Set-up
Bat mini-tent set-up. We use ravel-free blue surgical towels. We no longer use newspaper or
reusable dishes. We like to use puppy pee pads as flooring (softer and more absorbent) and use
disposable restaurant cups pinned to the side of the tent for food and water (to prevent tipping
and then toss-out which helps simplify adhering to protocols). Note the heating pad on side of
the tent.
Note the square inset highlighting how we pin 1 ravel-free surgical towel in these tents. The
ceiling mesh is weak, so using the “handle” preserves your tents. Using 2 pins also makes more
surface area for crawling and roost-space for your patient.
Twist-N-Go kennel set-up. We like up-grading bats once they are stabilized and healthy to these
modified larger chew-proof cages. Note the variety of materials – all bat safe: fleece, surgical
towels, microfiber towels, drawer liner (and folded over is plastic-coated screening sewn into
the front panel. Also note ceiling crawl space. This increases surface area crawl space and
roosting options. We see bats frequently either roosting in this space, or signs that they have
used it (poop).
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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WNS Live Pre-screening via
Physical Methods
Good example of a cooperative bat (few are this easy to photograph for wing scores), with
minimal damage (but still some – do you see the pin-hole, spots, and small tear?).
Reference “Wing-Damage Index Used for Characterizing Wing Condition of Bats Affected by
White-nose Syndrome” by Jonathan D. Reichard of Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology.
Readily available and publicly available. Easy to find with a simple “Google” search.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Wing Scores Checking for
Damage and Scarring
Here’s more examples of wing scores. Left images are great-looking. Right images are examples
of more severe injuries.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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UV Light Score
All cave-bat species must get a wing score and a UV Light screening at admit. Read this paper to
understand how and why to do so.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Body Condition
Big Brown Bats have a huge variance in “build” meaning that a bat’s general size can range from
petite to robust and vary widely in weight, but be of same condition. Do not rely on weight
alone to determine condition – there are examples of bats ranging from emaciated to obese.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Injuries
These are some examples of patient injuries, which are just the “tip of the iceberg”.
Any injury to a joint is of grave concern, but depending on the injury, may have potential to
heal. Wrist injuries are always of grave concern as they have great potential to seriously affect a
patient’s releasability.
Wing membrane tears can be small to severe, but have great potential to heal. All 3 wing
membrane tears shown here healed and these bats were all released. The severe tear in the
upper right-hand corner took a long time to heal, but beautiful, healthy skin grew back in. We
recommend supportive care and in nearly all cases, including this severe tear, no additional
medical intervention, such as glue or sutures, are needed or helpful (bats may in fact, selfmutilate to try to remove those items, so it is not recommended unless extremely dire
circumstances and under direct care of a veterinarian very experienced in bat treatment).
You are welcome to contact us with questions – we appreciate pictures of injuries as well to get
a better idea of what you may be dealing with.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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The Gift of Euthanasia
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When to Strongly Consider Euthanasia
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Open wing fractures to radius, ulna, humerus, wrist,
or elbow
Severe frostbite (will know within 1-2 days)
Evisceration/disembowelment
Skull fractures
Fractured spine/severe spinal trauma
Human/pet exposure cases
Rabies-suspect symptoms – if presenting with 3+
symptoms and/or declining condition
• Biting self repeatedly, unable to swallow, hyperreactive to stimuli, rigidity or paralysis of hindleg, overall weakness, unusual wounds
Excellent position statement by Bat World
Sanctuary
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Absolutely confirm death
No one enjoys euthanasia, but accept it for the gift that it is. Help those animals that so
desperately need your final assistance. Learn from each case, and treat each case on an
individual basis.
Bat World Sanctuary has EXCELLENT resources. Follow their protocols for humane bat
euthanasia, to ensure that your euthanasias are truly painless and swift.
ALWAYS confirm death before disposing of animal. This is standard practice, but must be
emphasized due to the unique physiology of bats.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Banding
Although Big Brown Bats vary greatly in size and build – there is one universal band size for the
species. In the 1 year we participated in bat banding, over ½ of our bats had band-related
injuries resulting in the necessary (and DNR approved) removal of these bands and additional
rehab time to help them heal from these injuries.
Injuries included, but were not limited to: regional irritation, redness and inflammation, dental
damage (from chewing on a metal band), bleeding, and wing membrane tears. The bat in the
lower middle is “normal” for comparison.
Although marking bats pre-release has tremendous research potential – it is vital that we do not
cause harm. We have witnessed bats self-mutilate and have no doubt that if we had not
removed bands on certain individuals, that certainly some of our bats would have rendered
themselves non-releasable.
We are currently researching tattooing methods as a marking alternative, and the DNR has been
very supportive of this endeavor.
Bat World Sanctuary also has a position statement on banding bats.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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When to Remove a Band?
If you attempt banding, observe your bats at least DAILY for changes. Additionally – during
flight time, as the band moves around – you MUST observe them extensively to ensure they
aren’t inflicting injury to themselves, and that the band is not causing injury. A bat can bloody a
wing within a few seconds (we witnessed it). Of course, we immediately removed that band.
This picture shows is when it is appropriate to remove a band. Fingers are red, irritated and
swollen (it’s subtle – but definitely an “angry” area), and you start to see wetness/injury to the
wing membrane.
When we reported band-related injuries to the DNR, they were quite surprised. Their research
had not shown this. However, with continued photo-documentation, they acknowledged that
this was a serious concern. This is a great example of how rehabbers and researchers can work
together for the greater good of the field and this also stresses the importance of frequent
communication with your regulatory agency!
The importance of marking individuals is not at all lost on us – we, too, would love that data and
we’re hoping that tattooing can be a viable alternative that causes less distress that banding.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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When to Contact the DNR
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Any patient suspect of WNS
UV wing screening shows any orange
Myotis/Perimyotis species
Identification questions
Banding issues/injuries
Violations of an organization or individual
company
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Exclusions outside of legal dates
Illegal dates WI: June 1-August 15
Businesses doing “exterminations”
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When you are calm and emotionally stable
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Knowing when not to? That is wisdom!
The DNR researchers are busy. Be mindful of their time and only contact them when you need
to.
Animal Removal/Animal Control Agencies range greatly in their skill-set and practices. We have
reported Animal Control Agencies to the DNR when we had complaints if illegal practices. We
were pleasantly surprised at the DNR’s thoughtful and thorough response.
However, Animal Removal/Animal Control Agencies can still be an asset to bats, if they are
educated on best practices. We do make efforts to educate these companies, and often refer
them to a recent document created by the USFWS:
Guidelines for Animal Removal Professionals
White-nose Syndrome Conservation and Recovery Working Group. 2015. Acceptable
Management Practices for Bat Control Activities in Structures – A Guide for Nuisance Wildlife
Control Operators. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, MA.
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Pre-release Flight Conditioning
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Time-consuming
Exhausting
Potentially dangerous
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Bats aren’t motivated in
sunlight, particularly Myotis
Observe all flight time,
unless you are 100% sure
your tents are predator and
bat-proof
If banded – observe their
behavior – may need to
remove band
Read protocols thoroughly
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Pre-release flight conditioning is very important, but like all of bat care, it’s not simple or easy.
We use outdoor screen tents as our seasonal bat flight cages. It’s an investment up-front, but
with good care (and bringing them inside during storms), they’ll last several years.
This picture shows our tents without floors. We use wooden beam staked into the ground over
fabric bedsheets to make these most “bat proof”, but we are still observing all bat flights as we
don’t feel these are fully bat-proof. Additionally, the screen is not predator-proof. We also like
to observe all flight time to ensure they are safe, able to get back onto a side should they flop
onto the floor, and we also can watch other behaviors as well.
Note: We are limited on space at our facility, however, if you have more space available – larger
tents with floors are commercially available. Additionally, permanent caging can be built to
meet your needs as well (contact us for details!).
Big Brown Bats are oftentimes willing to fly in these cages during the day and are less disturbed
by predator/songbird calls. Myotis and Perimyotis are not in our experience. This means long,
late hours and night-time flights (and additional challenges associated with working in the dark).
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
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Releases!
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Time-consuming
Resource-consuming
Most thankless and undramatic releases ever!
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Need DNR release approval
Soft releases are ideal
BRING YOUR GLOVES!!!
Bring a flashlight
Release at dusk or later
Ideally in “good” weather
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Low wind
Limited rain
Warm for a few days
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Release where found (or within
2 mile radius of where found)
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Let bat fly on own – but need
to “drop” to fly
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Scan your surroundings
Soft-release guidelines - when possible hang bat tent with food & water, & clip the door open check a couple times throughout the night or in the AM.
Bats must drop to gain lift (a very strong bat can gain lift from the ground, but it is extremely
difficult). The higher you can get them, the better (think releasing from a balcony, or high tree).
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference
Slide 30 of 30
Resources
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Wisconsin Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation
Center
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Crystal Sharlow-Schaefer; [email protected]; 414-431-6196
Lisa Schlenker; [email protected]; 414-698-9568
Bat World Sanctuary, Inc.
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Position Statements are excellent
“Insectivorous Bat Care Standards” available for download on
website
Rehab Resources are fabulous
• BUY THIS TEXT by Amanda Lollar:
• “Standards an Medical Management for Captive Insectivorous
Bats”
Bats are amazing and deserving of care, but know that despite their diminutive size, the actual
amount of work and resources necessary for their care is quite large.
Additionally, human health concerns and the recent emergence of White-nose Syndrome
present additional complexities to their care. Bat rehab is do-able, but it requires a long-term
commitment and strict adherence to protocol.
These presentations are only 1-hour long and are the briefest of introductions to each topic. If
you would like to seriously pursue the endeavor of captive education bats and/or bat rehab,
please do contact us directly for detailed information and training.
We are happy to function as a bat resource for you!