Night Flights

I am a wild life rehabber permitted by the California Department of Fish and Game to work with injured and orphaned wild life. My specialty is bats, Chiroptera, which are one of the most misunderstood and under-appreciated mammals on the planet. I am always open to questions so feel free to ask me anything. If I don't know the answer, I will do my best to find it for you. Bats are an important, thought mainly unseen, part of our world. When they are seen, the little guys typically get really bad press. Hopefully here I can dispel some of the myths and help educate those interested in the wonders of our winged, furry friends.

NOTE: I am vaccinated for rabies because bats are a rabies vector species. Never touch any wild animal with your bare hands. Should you need any assistance follow the links on this page and seek help.

Night Flights is about the rescue and rehabilitation of injured and orphaned bats so that they can be released back into the wild. What most people don’t realize is that “the wild” is just about anywhere and everywhere! Bats are virtually omnipresent yet few draw enough attention to themselves to be noticed.

While most bats prefer caves, abandoned mines and other places off the beaten path, due to diminishing natural habitats they are being forced to take up residence in new, sometimes unexpected places. Unfortunately sometimes these places are not only unexpected but also unwanted by the owners of the property the bats have chosen.

Let me interject here with a few words about bats. Bats are intelligent, gentle, inquisitive creatures. They are actually more closely related to primates than rodents, just so you know. They don’t “attack” people or pets. The really do not want to get tangled in your hair. NO, they do not all have rabies. There is more information about rabies in the "Television" section and in a blog I posted.

Anyway, back to not wanting bats around. Let’s rethink that. Bats are more efficient than any bug zapper; far less toxic than any pesticide and cheaper than both! (Free, actually, they just want a little space!) So, there they are and now you have an issue with a little guano… no problem. That stuff is better than Miracle-Gro!

Truly the return for sharing a wee bit of space with bats is pretty darn good. In reality our ecosystem would simply collapse without them. Because they are creatures of the night and have been veiled in mystery for so long people tend to fear them. There is nothing to fear. The more you learn about them the more you will believe this. They are incredible little beings!

If, however, you are not convinced and you need help with a bat, get help!! Don’t try to handle the situation on your own and don’t hurt the animal. There are places to get help: CCWR , IWRC , or CDFG . You can also visit the Bat World site and find a rehabber’s list there as well.