When a strong storm swept through Southwest Florida earlier this month, it left the usual trail of broken branches and fallen debris. But for one homeowner, clearing the yard came with a surprise they’ll never forget.
While lifting a large palm frond that had snapped from a tree, the homeowner suddenly found themselves staring back at hundreds of tiny eyes.
Nestled beneath the fallen branch were more than 150 baby bats — shaken, vulnerable, and in desperate need of help.
The homeowner immediately called the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Rescuers rushed over, carefully gathering the pups and placing them onto a blanket inside a box.
In total, 156 baby bats had been brought down with the storm. Each one was examined for injuries.
“Our goal was to return them to their parents as soon as possible, but first, a full exam needed to be done on each pup to check for injuries,” the conservancy wrote.
Sadly, 11 didn’t survive — but 145 little ones were strong enough to be reunited with their parents.
Because newborn bats rely completely on their mothers, time was critical. Rescuers consulted with Bat World Sanctuary, who recommended installing a nesting box high in the same tree.
With help from Homegrown Tree Care, the new “nursery” was secured, complete with a safety drape beneath it to catch any pups that might fall.
Then came the most important part: waiting to see if the mothers would return.
“They were able to be re-nested with the parents,” said Reneé Stoll, the conservancy’s director of communications.
“Our staff went back every two days to make sure the bats were doing OK and continuing to feed. We are happy to report no bats fell into the drape or on the ground.”
That meant only one thing — the reunion worked. The babies were being fed and cared for by their mothers once again.
The rescue was a true community effort, and it gave dozens of fragile little lives the chance to grow and thrive.
“The von Arx Wildlife Hospital receives more than 4,000 patients a year as the only wildlife hospital in our county,” Stoll said. “Our staff could not do this without other agencies, community members, and our hundreds of volunteers. I could not be prouder of the work they do every day to protect our ecosystem and the native wildlife that call Southwest Florida home — including these amazing bats.”
To learn more about the conservancy’s work — or to support future rescues — visit the Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s website here.
