Lisa 🦔Mar 1

I was swarmed by mosquitoes last night while releasing a bunch of my longer-term bat rehabs.

All I could think as the batties lifted off of my hand and into the sky was… “yes YES… FLY my pretties!” and cackling internally.

Anyway, I’m:

—thrilled these batties are out in the world and flying the evening skies again.

—worried about them finding their way in the world.

—pleased to have the space again to take in more new cases.

—sad to not see some of their faces every day.

—comforted by the goofy little batties that are still in residence.

—trying to ignore the mosquito bite in the middle of my forehead.

Last night’s release count:
6 Mexican Free-tailed bats
(Tadarida brasiliensis)

2 Southeastern Myotis (Myotis austroriparius)

🖤🦇🖤
#BatsInMyBelfry #BatsInBlankets

Show threadseachangedMar 1

@mycrowgirl

Have you ever wanted to have banded them?

Show threadLisa 🦔Mar 1

@seachanged we do not band bats!

Bat banding (for most micro-chiroptera at least) is not recommended as all banding types available are known to have a high injury rate and eventual mortality.

There are methods of ear tattooing or temporary microtransmitters that some researchers can use, but those aren’t really a consideration for small rehabbers like myself.

Show threadseachangedMar 1

@mycrowgirl

Thank-you.

Unsurprisingly, I had no idea that bat banding was very likely to cause injury, but it is well-known among researchers:

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1363/pdf/OF08-1363_508.pdf

"Part 4. Summary of Problems, Recommendations, and Conclusions" is kind of a nightmare to read.

Show threadLisa 🦔
@seachanged it’s something I never thought through either until I started up with more formal training 😥
Mar 1 at 8:00pmWeb