2024 Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 33
Addison McCool
The day aver a major storm in North Texas, a }ny bat named Ellis was discovered
alone and shivering on a homeowner’s front porch. Uncertain of what to do, the
folks who found him brought him inside, hoping to provide him with the care he
desperately needed. However, their e昀昀orts were misguided, as they fed him a
diet of cow’s milk and fruit - foods that insec}vorous bat pups cannot digest.
Ellis ended up in life threatening condi}on. It was clear he needed the exper}se
of a trained bat rehabilitator. Thankfully, the 昀椀nders realized they were out of
their depth and reached out for help. When Ellis arrived, he was near death due
to severe dehydra}on and malnutri}on. Our sta昀昀 quickly provided emergency
triage to save his fragile life. The 昀椀rst few hours were touch and go, with moments where we feared we might lose him. Miraculously, the next morning, Ellis
showed signs of improvement. His appe}te returned, and he began regaining his
strength. Before long, he was able to join the other bat pups in our care, forming
fast friendships with his fellow rescued companions.
The video linked above within the QR code captures Ellis a couple of weeks aver
he arrived, displaying his nearly bald appearance caused by his previous poor
nutri}on. However, with proper care and a琀琀en}on, Ellis’s coat grew back beau}fully, and we eventually released him back into the wild where he belonged, and
where he could eat as many mosquitoes as he could catch.
f
If you 昀椀nd a bat or any other wild animal in need, please do not feed them. It
could be fatal! Instead, contact the nearest wildlife rehabilitator right away to
make sure they are given the necessary care they need to survive.
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