A couple of weeks ago I was instrumental in saving a hoary bat.  I was walking to work on a Saturday morning and saw what I assumed to be a curled up leaf on the road.  It was a big leaf, so I stepped a little closer to see it.  When I came up to it, the “leaf” opened its wings and hissed at me.  I think I probably jumped a foot into the air, I was so startled!

When we worked at Kings Mountain National Military Park, the rangers told us to report any bats we saw lying on the ground.  They were concerned about rabies in bats that were grounded.  When I saw this bat lying on the ground, I took a picture and sent a text to Ranger Olivia to let her know, then continued on my way.  Ranger Olivia called Ranger Kymberlyn who then called Ranger Amy.  Ranger Amy is the resources manager in charge of wildlife.  Ranger Amy immediately headed in to the park.

I didn’t know about all of this calling.  I was just walking to work.  Suddenly a van pulls up next to me with all the rangers from the Visitors Center in it.  They were all going to rescue the bat.  I climbed in the van with them, since I knew where the bat was.  I felt a little bad that I hadn’t stayed to protect the bat, but I didn’t know they were coming.  Two trucks had driven down the road while I was walking.

Fortunately, when we reached the bat’s location, it was still safe.  Surrounded by rangers, it again opened its wings and hissed at everyone.  Ranger Kymberlyn picked it up very carefully and turned it over.  She had on large, protective gloves.  The bat hissed and clicked and acted very angry.  We could see its little sharp teeth as it hissed at us.

I did not know this, but bats can’t fly if they are on the ground.  They have to fall through the air to get the draft they need to fly.  It is why they hang from the ceilings of caves or from the branches of trees.  When Ranger Amy arrived, she picked up the little bat and made sure it wasn’t injured.  Nothing was broken and both wings were working as they should.  She hypothesized that the bat had been brought down by heavy rain the night before and exhausted itself trying to get up and fly.

Ranger Amy also told the rangers that it was a hoary bat.  Only the second hoary bat that she had seen in the park.  Unlike the bats that live in our cave, the hoary bat is migratory.  They winter in Central America and fly north in the spring.  A hoary bat is one of the larger bat species and can be found all over North America.  It has long brown fur with white tips on the hairs, leading to its name.

After examining the bat, Ranger Amy took it to a tree to roost and rest.  The rangers watched it for a little while longer, then headed back to the Visitors Center.  They all told me congratulations for finding the bat and reporting it.  Everyone felt good about saving the hoary bat.  It was a good start to the day.