2016_WWRA_Bat_Rehab_Talk_Notes 2.4 MB
Transcription
2016_WWRA_Bat_Rehab_Talk_Notes 2.4 MB
2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 1 of 30 Wisconsin Bat Rehab: Conforming to WNS Regulations and Still Providing Excellent Rehab Care Crystal Sharlow-Schaefer Lisa Schlenker ©2014 Wisconsin Humane Society. All rights reserved. www.wihumane.org • P: 414-264-6257 • F 414-431-6200 • 4500 West Wisconsin Avenue • Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208 Disclaimer: This is brief presentation and is not all inclusive! Please contact us directly for specifics and detailed information. Crystal Sharlow-Schaefer: csharlow@wihumane.org or 414-431-6196 Lisa Schlenker: lisabat101@hotmail.com or 414-698-9568 Additionally – note that bat regulations change frequently, and although this information is accurate at the time it was presented, they very likely will need to be modified as regulations change. The focus of this presentation is cave-bat care, with brief notes about foliage-roosting bats. Foliage-roosting bat species have unique and special care requirements which is an entire presentation on its own. Please contact us for details pertaining to their care! 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 2 of 30 Bat Rehab – Is it Possible? • • No, because limited resources Time and functioning brain-power needed – – – – • • • • You’ll need to maintain extra permits (additional annual reports) Enter bat data into DNR database monthly Admission complexity due to serious human health risk and regional regulations Regulations change seasonally and with new disease information EXTREME high-maintenance patients They need multiple separate spaces, additional caging and supplies Strict practices and protocols need to be followed Why Should You Still Consider It? – – – – – Bats are important Once established, you likely possess/can easily gain the necessary skills Education potential to reach the public is great Public demand/need for bat rehab services Bats need your help now more than ever White-nose Syndrome has drastically changed regulations, and regulations continue to change as more in learned about this emergent disease. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 3 of 30 Permits and Personal Health • Permit Requirements – – – • Vaccination *Best Practices* Protocol – – • Tetanus Pre-exposure Vaccinations • Titer checks every 2 years Rabies – – • • State E/T clearance for rehab Will you keep non-releasable bats for education? Then we’ll need to talk more… In the future? Overall probability is low - however bat rehabilitation puts YOU at HIGH RISK! What counts as an exposure? www.cdc.gov WEAR GLOVES! Had an exposure with a rabid bat? – GET POST-EXPOSURE VACCINATIONS! Understand that regulations may change, which may change permitting requirements in the future. We are strong advocates of keeping a clear line of communication with your regulatory agency to ensure you are in complete compliance. Rabies is serious, and it can be scary, as shown by this image which was found through a simple Google image search under, “rabies”. This art makes these animals, even the kitten, all seem vicious! However, if you follow best practices and information on the CDC website, you can be safe and continue to rehabilitate bats. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 4 of 30 Client Health Protection • • • • • Preserving human health preserves you and your work. Rabies is real. We admitted at least 3 positive bats in 2015. Not all rabid bats show symptoms immediately. Shocker – the public can and will lie to your face! Work with you region’s health departments, professionally. • Possible exceptions to calling the local health department? – – – – Repeat clients When rescued and transported by WHS staff/trusted volunteers Found outside (in certain circumstances) Born on-site Note: “at least 3” is underlined on purpose. Those are the bats that we tests and were confirmed rabid. It is possible that there were additional asymptomatic rabid bats in care, reinforcing why following personal protective practices are so important. We can discuss at length our public protocols regarding human and public health. Please contact us directly to learn the details of our practices. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 5 of 30 White-nose Syndrome • • Caused by invasive fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans Doesn’t affect all species of bats equally • • • Pd thrives in cool damp temperatures, grows on multiple substrates Bats normally groom Pd off, but can’t do this while hibernating Hibernating bats are awakened by Pd and therefore die from starvation/exposure – decimating wild populations Cures? Supportive care and prevent the spread. – • Primarily cavity-roosting (hibernating) bats, with some species more resilient than others More information continues to be learned as research projects are completed. Please make an effort to read the peer-reviewed published papers on White-nose Syndrome instead of the information that may be published in popular media. While popular media may get the gist of the paper, it may be inaccurately described (i.e. I’ve read before that a WNS “cure” was found – this was misleading, as the actual published paper didn’t draw this conclusion). 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 6 of 30 DNR Quarantine Guidelines • • • Not from rehabber perspective; language can seem “clunky” Thorough, though has some holes 26-page document – – – – – – 5 pages instructions Appendix A: WNS Pre-screening (UV pre-screening and wing scores) Appendix B: NWRA/IWRC Minimum Standards! Nice! Appendix C: USFWS – National WNS Decontamination Protocol Appendix D: WI Bat Rehab Regions Appendix E: USGS Submission of Wildlife Health Lab Guidelines for WNS Suspect Bats This document is public, but I can’t seem to find it on the DNR website. Email me at csharlow@wihumane.org and I can send you a copy. Keep in mind, however, that this is somewhat of a “living document” and is subject to change frequently as new information is learned about WNS. The DNR sends updated versions to bat rehabbers directly. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 7 of 30 DNR Regulations • • • • Organizations are complex and change can be challenging and slow. Don’t be scared of “The Man”; “The Man” can be your ally “The Man” is still your regulatory agency Give them respect/trust, but if you disagree, you can voice it. – – • Politely. Respectfully. But! Choose your battles wisely. If you break the law intentionally – you are on your own! WNS research is very new, so protocols keep changing. You must accept this as part of the deal with bat rehab. Know that ultimately, our goals are the same as our regulatory agency – to save bats. You must be on good terms with the DNR to rehab bats successfully and legally in Wisconsin. Wildlife Rehabilitators, in my experience, can have a vast range of views of their regulatory agency/agencies. If you have challenges with authority or following rules – you are going to have difficulty with being legally compliant with WI bat rehab regulations. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 8 of 30 Regulation HIghlights • • • Established regions. What region are you in? NO admit exceptions Track all patients individually while in care Need location found at admit • What species is this bat? • • • • • • • WNS pre-screening on all admits: Wing score and UV wing screening “Decontamination rules” exist 24/7/365 30-day admit holding period “quarantine” exist November 1 - April 30 DNR Database – bat entries on “monthly basis” High alert for Myotis or Perimyotis species Spring release moratorium until DNR grants permission each year DNR preference is for bats to be marked pre-release for data (banding) – – Bats must be released back within 2 mile radius of address found Foliage-roosting bats and cavity-roosting bats CANNOT MIX We keep foliage-roosting bats off-site, with a privately licensed advanced wildlife rehabilitator that we have partnered with. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 9 of 30 WI Bat Rehab Regions We need more bat rehabilitators! 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 10 of 30 Current Public WNS Map Confirmed WNS: Grant, Crawford, Richland, Dane, Door Suspect WNS: Iowa, Lafayette, Dodge From www.whitenosesyndrome.org We check these maps frequently, as they are updated as more data comes back from regional monitoring studies. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 11 of 30 Admission – Phone Call • • • What time of year is it? “summer” or “winter”? Winter? Yes? – It needs help! Summer – Is it injured, a baby, in a bad location, or did a person/pet touch it? • It needs to get to a rehabilitator. – – • No? If it’s in a safe spot, leave them overnight. Call us tomorrow AM if still there. Was bat found in your region? Yes or No • No – refer to closest rehabilitator, still cover rabies information Exposure: Did any person or pet have direct contact? Yes or No • Yes – still needs to come to us*, but note that and perhaps pre-call H.D. Brief on rabies info and to prep them for testing potential • Transport: Safely contain and transport to us. (“I can’t” options) • Talk them through this in detail. We send people to our website. • We do occasional bat pick-ups but never advertise this • What not to ask: – What species is the bat? Does it look like it has rabies? Bat calls are often long and involved. Invest the time at this stage to make it easier when they arrive. If you find an infant (infants are furless or nearly furless) on the ground under a roost – DON’T leave it there overnight - if possible get it back into roost. Moms can't usually pick up an infant or juvenile from the ground. Foliage-roosters - same thing - Moms grounded with pups often can't overcome the inertia, so pick them up with gloved hand and twig or towel & elevate them. THEN - if they are still there in same location or back on ground in the AM – that bat needs to come in for care. Call us in the “off-season” for our help to get your phone protocols established before you get these calls at your center! 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 12 of 30 Admission – Walk-in • May be an emotionally elevated situation. Be on alert! – – – – • Animal removal agency gone bad? Frantic household situation prior to arrival? Spouse/friend/acquaintance/doctor/random person badgering them? They maybe fearing imminent death of them/spouse/child at this point from rabies misinformation Take control of the animal – then have a conversation – – – – – – Determine the region where the bat was found Circumstance and actual address found A phone number to contact them with more questions. Explain to them the basics of rabies, why you’re asking all these questions. Exposure spiel “Urgency, but not emergency” You are making a judgment call on this person. Trust your gut. As much as you care about bats – you must care about people, too. By being a compassionate listener, they will be more willing to listen to your advice – and also more likely to follow your recommendations. This is important not only for this bat, but also all future bats that they encounter (and the people they tell about you)! Note on this bat the importance of careful observation: she has severe facial swelling here, and some redness. This bat actually had severe head trauma and a broken tooth. She had to be on a soft-food blended diet for some weeks, but eventually made a full recovery. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 13 of 30 What is “Decontamination”? • • • • • Think disease prevention and cleaning Avoid cross-contamination at all costs You can’t see spores, play “imagination game” Decontamination and Prevention Protocols are year-round Protective gear: You look like a mechanic. – – • • • • • Coveralls, booties OR footbath, exam gloves over leather gloves. We love bleach! Change air filters according to protocol All bats housed independently, unless from same hibernaculum (5 miles), up to 3 weeks All bats have own personal equipment/supplies/tools – bat use only Laundry/garbage at least 1x per week Wash it, then disinfect it…or toss it out. Although it’s not environmentally-friendly, disposable items (dishes, syringes, booties, etc.) help us to follow protocols efficiently and effectively. Also note the order of which you care for bats. Most recently admitted bats should be cared for last, since they have the highest potential of infection yet. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 14 of 30 What is “Quarantine” • • • • Winter-time rules (November 1-April 30) All cleaning, disinfection, and isolation rules still apply Wing score and UV wing screening is very important! Bats must be in quarantine for 30 days before moving to post-quarantine room – – • If 2 rooms aren’t available, then continue standard quarantine practices If 2 rooms are available – then STILL continue with all quarantine practices – just have passed 30 days in captivity mark; meaning less exposure to new patients All releases on halt – Need DNR approval to release in Spring Cages on the left are a type of domestic animal soft-carrier. These were randomly donated, so they’re not our first preference since their shape is unusual, but they still function well for us. The cages on the right are awesome! These are “Ware Twist-N-Go Kennels” (14.5” x 12.75” x 21”) which are a soft cage made for domestic animals. We got them from Blain’s Farm & Fleet, and then modified them by sewing mesh into the door. We use these as the 2 nd stage indoor cage, after a patient has been stabilized in a smaller hospital tent (bat mini-tent) – generally after they have passed their 30-day quarantine. Note paperwork pinned to each cage. It is important to label each cage and keep track of care notes well, for accuracy in tracking individuals and care consistency. You must keep track of individuals! 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 15 of 30 Bat Room Options • You need space: – – – Dedicated to cave bats • In-quarantine • Out-of-quarantine Dedicated to tree bats What if accidental admit out of region? • • • Floor that can be sanitized Running water and floor drains are nice Electricity is also important • Interior design for bats (bat-proofing): – – – Screen off all vents and door openings (ceiling, wall, floor) No open water (cover toilets) Picture worst-case scenario and prevent that! We have bat mini-tents inside of the wooden boxes (with several air holes). The wooden boxes are sealed (so they are water-resistant and easy to clean and disinfect). The wooden boxes are one of the ways to make a bat mini-tent secure as the boxes are chew-proof (the bat mini-tents are able to be chewed through by a determined-to-escape bat). Note: Bat proofing a room This picture is of a bathroom we use as our first quarantine room for cave bats. There is a white tray taped over the toilet, and then this space was readily available for housing using properlyspaced shelving. This room also has a ceiling vent that has been covered with screen netting, and screen netting has been applied along the bottom edge of the entry door. Obviously, secure caging is vital to prevent escapes…but just in case of some unforeseen event happening…should a bat escape an enclosure, they most definitely cannot escape from the room. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 16 of 30 To Hibernate or Not to Hibernate • Patient compromised in any way? – DO NOT HIBERNATE SICK/INJURED ANIMALS! • • How many bats do you have? Do you have the knowledge and capability to do it safely? • We don’t force hibernation, but do allow bats to drop into torpor periodically. • Why not keep them all awake, warm, and active? – – Assume all your females are already pregnant. Captive stress Our facility’s bat rooms are kept at approximately 65°F, with a cool humidifier. If bats need to be warmed, they are supplied with a heating pad on low. Heating pads should NEVER be on the bottom of a cage (a compromised bat may be unable to escape this heat), and instead are clipped to the outside side of a cage, with a towel protective barrier. Explaining these images from the David the Gnome series: a bat episode exists! It’s call “Airlift!” and is episode #21. Amazing. It’s about rescuing 200 bats that are hibernating. The bats in this show are not compromised or injured, and therefore, since they have 200 of them, the gnomes decide to keep them in hibernation rather than to wake them. I agree with that decision! My favorite part is when David’s gnome-wife says how much better she feels that the bats are getting “professional care” (because they take them to a gnome animal hospital). Yes! Every bat should be so lucky! 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 17 of 30 Caging Options • Bat mini-tents (www.batworld.org) • • Soft-sided cat carriers or soft-sided dog kennels Reptariums (wash mesh first to soften) • Not ideal: – – • • • • Not chew-proof! Double-cage these Anything hard-sided, too smooth, or too rough • Can cause abrasions/lesions when crawling • Bats are very sound-sensitive Supplemental heat (heating pad?) Supplemental humidity (humidifier? Warm humidifier?) Lighting Extreme caution when opening all zippers to avoid catching on tiny toes Bat mini-tents. We love them for short-term hospital care, but they are susceptible to being chewed out of (rare, but every once in a while a clever bat does this). ALWAYS double-cage these tents just in case that may happen. We double-cage using wooden boxes, reptariums, or soft kennels). ALWAYS be cognizant of where a bat is roosting. A quick opening of a zipper can cause serious harm to a bat hanging on the zipper! If a bat is roosting on the zipper, gently blow air at him to encourage him to crawl to another location before unzipping the tent. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 18 of 30 Bat Hospital Cage Set-up Bat mini-tent set-up. We use ravel-free blue surgical towels. We no longer use newspaper or reusable dishes. We like to use puppy pee pads as flooring (softer and more absorbent) and use disposable restaurant cups pinned to the side of the tent for food and water (to prevent tipping and then toss-out which helps simplify adhering to protocols). Note the heating pad on side of the tent. Note the square inset highlighting how we pin 1 ravel-free surgical towel in these tents. The ceiling mesh is weak, so using the “handle” preserves your tents. Using 2 pins also makes more surface area for crawling and roost-space for your patient. Twist-N-Go kennel set-up. We like up-grading bats once they are stabilized and healthy to these modified larger chew-proof cages. Note the variety of materials – all bat safe: fleece, surgical towels, microfiber towels, drawer liner (and folded over is plastic-coated screening sewn into the front panel. Also note ceiling crawl space. This increases surface area crawl space and roosting options. We see bats frequently either roosting in this space, or signs that they have used it (poop). 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 19 of 30 WNS Live Pre-screening via Physical Methods Good example of a cooperative bat (few are this easy to photograph for wing scores), with minimal damage (but still some – do you see the pin-hole, spots, and small tear?). Reference “Wing-Damage Index Used for Characterizing Wing Condition of Bats Affected by White-nose Syndrome” by Jonathan D. Reichard of Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology. Readily available and publicly available. Easy to find with a simple “Google” search. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 20 of 30 Wing Scores Checking for Damage and Scarring Here’s more examples of wing scores. Left images are great-looking. Right images are examples of more severe injuries. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 21 of 30 UV Light Score All cave-bat species must get a wing score and a UV Light screening at admit. Read this paper to understand how and why to do so. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 22 of 30 Body Condition Big Brown Bats have a huge variance in “build” meaning that a bat’s general size can range from petite to robust and vary widely in weight, but be of same condition. Do not rely on weight alone to determine condition – there are examples of bats ranging from emaciated to obese. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 23 of 30 Injuries These are some examples of patient injuries, which are just the “tip of the iceberg”. Any injury to a joint is of grave concern, but depending on the injury, may have potential to heal. Wrist injuries are always of grave concern as they have great potential to seriously affect a patient’s releasability. Wing membrane tears can be small to severe, but have great potential to heal. All 3 wing membrane tears shown here healed and these bats were all released. The severe tear in the upper right-hand corner took a long time to heal, but beautiful, healthy skin grew back in. We recommend supportive care and in nearly all cases, including this severe tear, no additional medical intervention, such as glue or sutures, are needed or helpful (bats may in fact, selfmutilate to try to remove those items, so it is not recommended unless extremely dire circumstances and under direct care of a veterinarian very experienced in bat treatment). You are welcome to contact us with questions – we appreciate pictures of injuries as well to get a better idea of what you may be dealing with. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 24 of 30 The Gift of Euthanasia • When to Strongly Consider Euthanasia – – – – – – – • Open wing fractures to radius, ulna, humerus, wrist, or elbow Severe frostbite (will know within 1-2 days) Evisceration/disembowelment Skull fractures Fractured spine/severe spinal trauma Human/pet exposure cases Rabies-suspect symptoms – if presenting with 3+ symptoms and/or declining condition • Biting self repeatedly, unable to swallow, hyperreactive to stimuli, rigidity or paralysis of hindleg, overall weakness, unusual wounds Excellent position statement by Bat World Sanctuary – Absolutely confirm death No one enjoys euthanasia, but accept it for the gift that it is. Help those animals that so desperately need your final assistance. Learn from each case, and treat each case on an individual basis. Bat World Sanctuary has EXCELLENT resources. Follow their protocols for humane bat euthanasia, to ensure that your euthanasias are truly painless and swift. ALWAYS confirm death before disposing of animal. This is standard practice, but must be emphasized due to the unique physiology of bats. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 25 of 30 Banding Although Big Brown Bats vary greatly in size and build – there is one universal band size for the species. In the 1 year we participated in bat banding, over ½ of our bats had band-related injuries resulting in the necessary (and DNR approved) removal of these bands and additional rehab time to help them heal from these injuries. Injuries included, but were not limited to: regional irritation, redness and inflammation, dental damage (from chewing on a metal band), bleeding, and wing membrane tears. The bat in the lower middle is “normal” for comparison. Although marking bats pre-release has tremendous research potential – it is vital that we do not cause harm. We have witnessed bats self-mutilate and have no doubt that if we had not removed bands on certain individuals, that certainly some of our bats would have rendered themselves non-releasable. We are currently researching tattooing methods as a marking alternative, and the DNR has been very supportive of this endeavor. Bat World Sanctuary also has a position statement on banding bats. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 26 of 30 When to Remove a Band? If you attempt banding, observe your bats at least DAILY for changes. Additionally – during flight time, as the band moves around – you MUST observe them extensively to ensure they aren’t inflicting injury to themselves, and that the band is not causing injury. A bat can bloody a wing within a few seconds (we witnessed it). Of course, we immediately removed that band. This picture shows is when it is appropriate to remove a band. Fingers are red, irritated and swollen (it’s subtle – but definitely an “angry” area), and you start to see wetness/injury to the wing membrane. When we reported band-related injuries to the DNR, they were quite surprised. Their research had not shown this. However, with continued photo-documentation, they acknowledged that this was a serious concern. This is a great example of how rehabbers and researchers can work together for the greater good of the field and this also stresses the importance of frequent communication with your regulatory agency! The importance of marking individuals is not at all lost on us – we, too, would love that data and we’re hoping that tattooing can be a viable alternative that causes less distress that banding. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 27 of 30 When to Contact the DNR • • • • • • Any patient suspect of WNS UV wing screening shows any orange Myotis/Perimyotis species Identification questions Banding issues/injuries Violations of an organization or individual company – – – Exclusions outside of legal dates Illegal dates WI: June 1-August 15 Businesses doing “exterminations” • When you are calm and emotionally stable • Knowing when not to? That is wisdom! The DNR researchers are busy. Be mindful of their time and only contact them when you need to. Animal Removal/Animal Control Agencies range greatly in their skill-set and practices. We have reported Animal Control Agencies to the DNR when we had complaints if illegal practices. We were pleasantly surprised at the DNR’s thoughtful and thorough response. However, Animal Removal/Animal Control Agencies can still be an asset to bats, if they are educated on best practices. We do make efforts to educate these companies, and often refer them to a recent document created by the USFWS: Guidelines for Animal Removal Professionals White-nose Syndrome Conservation and Recovery Working Group. 2015. Acceptable Management Practices for Bat Control Activities in Structures – A Guide for Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, MA. 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 28 of 30 Pre-release Flight Conditioning • • • Time-consuming Exhausting Potentially dangerous • Bats aren’t motivated in sunlight, particularly Myotis Observe all flight time, unless you are 100% sure your tents are predator and bat-proof If banded – observe their behavior – may need to remove band Read protocols thoroughly • • • Pre-release flight conditioning is very important, but like all of bat care, it’s not simple or easy. We use outdoor screen tents as our seasonal bat flight cages. It’s an investment up-front, but with good care (and bringing them inside during storms), they’ll last several years. This picture shows our tents without floors. We use wooden beam staked into the ground over fabric bedsheets to make these most “bat proof”, but we are still observing all bat flights as we don’t feel these are fully bat-proof. Additionally, the screen is not predator-proof. We also like to observe all flight time to ensure they are safe, able to get back onto a side should they flop onto the floor, and we also can watch other behaviors as well. Note: We are limited on space at our facility, however, if you have more space available – larger tents with floors are commercially available. Additionally, permanent caging can be built to meet your needs as well (contact us for details!). Big Brown Bats are oftentimes willing to fly in these cages during the day and are less disturbed by predator/songbird calls. Myotis and Perimyotis are not in our experience. This means long, late hours and night-time flights (and additional challenges associated with working in the dark). 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 29 of 30 Releases! • • • Time-consuming Resource-consuming Most thankless and undramatic releases ever! • • • • • • Need DNR release approval Soft releases are ideal BRING YOUR GLOVES!!! Bring a flashlight Release at dusk or later Ideally in “good” weather – – – Low wind Limited rain Warm for a few days • Release where found (or within 2 mile radius of where found) • Let bat fly on own – but need to “drop” to fly – Scan your surroundings Soft-release guidelines - when possible hang bat tent with food & water, & clip the door open check a couple times throughout the night or in the AM. Bats must drop to gain lift (a very strong bat can gain lift from the ground, but it is extremely difficult). The higher you can get them, the better (think releasing from a balcony, or high tree). 2016 Wisconsin Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Association Conference Slide 30 of 30 Resources • Wisconsin Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center – – • Crystal Sharlow-Schaefer; csharlow@wihumane.org; 414-431-6196 Lisa Schlenker; lisabat101@hotmail.com; 414-698-9568 Bat World Sanctuary, Inc. – – – Position Statements are excellent “Insectivorous Bat Care Standards” available for download on website Rehab Resources are fabulous • BUY THIS TEXT by Amanda Lollar: • “Standards an Medical Management for Captive Insectivorous Bats” Bats are amazing and deserving of care, but know that despite their diminutive size, the actual amount of work and resources necessary for their care is quite large. Additionally, human health concerns and the recent emergence of White-nose Syndrome present additional complexities to their care. Bat rehab is do-able, but it requires a long-term commitment and strict adherence to protocol. These presentations are only 1-hour long and are the briefest of introductions to each topic. If you would like to seriously pursue the endeavor of captive education bats and/or bat rehab, please do contact us directly for detailed information and training. We are happy to function as a bat resource for you!