BAT WORLD SANCTUARY

The Largest Bat Sanctuary on Earth

Bat World Sanctuary is on the front line to end the mistreatment of bats. Each year we rescue hundreds of bats who might otherwise die. Lifetime sanctuary is given to non-releasable bats, including those that are orphaned, injured, and rescued from the exotic pet trade, zoos and research facilities. We are also involved in conservation efforts both locally and internationally. 

Bat World was founded in 1994 and is a 501c3 non-profit, accredited organization with the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.

INSTAGRAM FEED

We've got a new *limited time* design available!

This style will be available via FLOAT - For Love Of All Things for the next week, with the proceeds benefiting the bats here at the sanctuary. ❤

See our story for the link!
191 1
Happy #BatAppreciationMonth! 🦇

Despite the name, the big brown bat is a micro-bat that only weighs between 12g and 22g. Their fur color varies from pale to dark brown. The big brown bat is a common species from northern South America to southern Canada. They roost in caves, attics of houses, cabins and barns. As with all bats, big browns are highly intelligent. Females form colonies to raise their young. Pups are born once a year, during the summer months, with a single pup or occasionally twins being born. Big brown bats have lifespans reaching more than 23 years in captivity and 19 years in the wild. This species emerges around dusk to feed on insects. Big browns are important controllers of many agricultural insect pests because they feed on crop damaging moths and beetles. A single bat can eat between 3,000 and 5,000 insects per night.
1339 7
One of our staff members had a little oopsie-daisy with the non-toxic temporary paint we use to identify the bats, earning this little one a special power. The power… of 🟢green🟢 😂

If you find a bat please remember to use gloves or a towel when rescuing him/her as the bat will be frightened and may bite in self-defense. (We are trained and vaccinated to handle bats so we sometimes use bare hands as it allows better tactile sensitivity and control.) Please also contact us if you find a bat, we have rescuers around the world and will do our best to help.
7264 35
It’s Bat Appreciation Month!

Consider this: if your day includes soap, shampoo, cosmetics, a toothbrush and toothpaste, coffee, margarine, paper or ink, cushions, wood furniture, fuel or lubricating fluids, sisal used to make rope and twine, timber, boats or canoes, trees, life saving medicines, air fresheners, candles, rubber, chewing gum, spices, vegetables, fruits, chocolate or even margaritas or beer, you are not only involved with bats, you are dependent upon bats. 

About seventy percent of all bats are insect eaters that feed on a tremendous diversity of bugs including the pests that consume the crops we need to survive. Each bat is capable of eating a whopping 5,000 insects per night; a lactating female will eat twice that amount. The 20 million bats that roost at Bracken Cave in Texas, eat 200 tons of insects each summer evening. Bats eat crop pests that cost farmers billions of dollars annually.  Insect control by bats keeps down prices of fruits and vegetables in the market place. 

About thirty percent of bats eat fruit or nectar although there are a few fish eating and frog eating bats, and only three species are vampire bats (none in the U.S.). Bats pollinate or disperse the seeds of many valuable plants and trees including wild banana, avocado, date, fig, mango, eucalyptus and balsa wood, just to name a few. Some seeds will not sprout unless they have passed through the digestive tracts of a bat. Bats spread millions of seeds every year from the ripe fruit they eat. It is the fruit bats that are responsible for 98% of the reforestation of the world’s rain forests (the lungs of our planet). Without fruit bats we would lose entire forests without felling a single tree. 

So yes, appreciate bats. They are beautiful and they bring us life.

#BatAppreciationMonth
2646 9
If you love seeing our adorable rescued bats, be sure to check out our TikTok page at @batworldsanctuary! You’ll find plenty of heartwarming videos featuring our bats, from playful moments to their sweet everyday antics.

This particular video is from pup season, but there are tons of fresh new videos waiting for you on our TikTok. Don’t miss out on all the cuteness—head over and give us a follow!
2962 13
Happy Bat Appreciation Month! 

Contrary to popular belief, bats are not aggressive in the least, and are actually quite shy. Like birds, rabbits, racoons, and other wildlife, bats are much more afraid of us than we are of them. Bats are also very smart, rating with chimps and dolphins in their level of intelligence. Bottom line is that bats are shy, gentle and intelligent and they only want to exist peacefully on this planet, just like we do. 🙂
2411 12
Graham the Eastern red bat is pretty sure he booked a dinner reservation for one, but he still had Travis and Ben trying to crash his party.

Travis and Ben are Mexican free-tails, and have little to no table manners or social etiquette. Once they heard me feeding someone that wasn't them, they knew they had to immediately rectify that. Sorry, Graham! #wildlife #bats #BatAppreciationMonth
4353 36
Time for our September rescue report...

Bat World Sanctuary and our affiliated satellite centers rescued 174 bats this past month! Not only do we rescue bats locally, but we also work as a 911-hotline for bat rescues worldwide. This month, our international centers came out on top again, with 76% of rescues from other countries. Though the busy season is coming to an end, we assisted a total 25 states, taking multiple calls daily from people who have found bats needing help and connecting them with their nearest rescuers. We also provide humane exclusion advice to businesses and homeowners with unwanted colonies roosting in buildings. To see our daily rescue log, visit batworld.org. 

If you'd like to keep up with all of our centers, be sure to follow them on Facebook!

Bat World MidCities 
Bat World Cross Timbers 
Bat World Bulgaria 
Fledermausrettung Österreich - Bat World Austria 
Bat World Italy - Pronto Soccorso Pipistrelli OdV
572 3

Live BAT CAMS

SPONSOR A BAT IN NEED

Sponsorships help us provide food and medical supplies for the bats who cannot be released back into the wild. Symbolically adopt the bat of your choice by sending a one-time donation of $35.00 (and adopt a second bat for just $25!). A great educational tool, and the perfect gift for bat enthusiasts! Please note: This program supports the bats pictured below (who will live out their lives with us) as well as other bats in need. Bats are occasionally retired due to old age or illness, but otherwise remain in the program for anyone who wishes to support them.

Click on a photo to sponsor any bat below!

SPONSORS RECEIVE:

  • A personalized adoption certificate
  • A matted 5″ x 7″ glossy photo of your bat
  • Your bat’s personal story
  • A graphic representing the size of your bat
  • The natural history of the species
  • An online subscription to Night Flight News emails.
  • A bat rescue card.
  • A myths and facts card.
  • A beautiful bookmark

Bella

Baxter

Ronan

The Captain

Benger the Avenger

Little Ernie

Sully

Tinkerbell

Lil Drac

Bootsanna

Cornelius

Gizmo