In the height of orphan season, when precious younger lives are being saved, a precious older life has been lost.

Precious new Lives
Orphan season is very much upon us. The red bat pups we rescued are being released just as orphaned free-tailed bats are arriving. Below is a video showing one of several free-tailed bat babies currently in care.

Our Beloved Chessie has Passed Away
You may remember that Chessie came to us in 2018, at the age of 20. She was neglected and kept in a broom closet, all alone, for many years. Coming to Bat World Sanctuary was a big change for her, but she fully embraced her new found freedom and companionship. Though she was losing her eyesight upon arrival, it didn’t take her long to learn our voices and warm up to her caretakers, sensing she would never be abused or neglected again. In many aspects, she had to re-learn how to be a bat, and how to be part of a colony again. This sweet girl loved being brushed and given back scratches by staff and volunteers. She and roostmate, Starlie, were extremely close, and would spend their mornings grooming one another and sharing their favorite foods, romaine lettuce and sweet potato. We are thankful for the time we had to make Chessie’s life as wonderful as it could possibly be, we just wish it could have been much longer. Chessie would have been 24 in October. Our beautiful girl passed in her sleep so we believe her passing was as gentle as Chessie herself. Goodbye “Chunky Chessie”, we all miss you dearly.

When the Stars Align 
Larry Crittenden, husband of Bat World Sanctuary’s Founder and President, Amanda Lollar, recently made a trip from Texas to Missouri over the weekend to help his father. While there he went into an upstairs bathroom that is rarely used. Low and behold he found two bats, big brown juveniles who likely went for a joy ride and ended up trapped, one inside a giant tea cup and the other youngster on the floor. If he had not made that trip when he did those bats may have never been found in time to save their lives. A rescuer who trained at Bat World Sanctuary lived in a nearby town so the bats were transferred to her where they are now safe and sound. The bathroom was examined and a small opening was found in the ceiling. That area was sealed to prevent any more bats roosting in the attic from finding their way into the bathroom.

Matching Grant in Memory of Chessie
In Memory of Chessie, and also to help us complete our water tank project, we have received a matching grant offer of $10,000. This will ensure we will have a back up water supply in the event of another “great freeze emergency”, like the one we experienced (as well as most of Texas) in February of this year. The tank, in addition to the plumbing, is now in place. The next step is enclosing the tank with well insulated metal sheeting on all sides, including the roof, to prevent the water from ever freezing and becoming unavailable. Thankfully, because of two anonymous donors, we have already received $2,000 of the funds needed to match the grant. We still need to raise an additional $8,000 to match the grant and complete the project. In addition to drinking water, we must be able to bathe the injured, prepare their food, wash their dishes, toys and hammocks, their roosting pouches and drapes and floor coverings. As you know, water is the single most important element to sustain life. With 400 bats in our care who depend on us for their survival, the artic freeze that engulfed us this year is a clear indication this project needs to move to the forefront. Any help you can provide for this crucial project will mean a great deal to the well-being of the deserving bats to whom we provide refuge and safety. Please click here to donate.

As always, thank you for helping us make our world a better place for bats through your support. ♥

Bat World Sanctuary