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The Story of Bo and Baby Driver

Last year, oilfield workers out in west Texas discovered a couple of juvenile pallid bats (Antrozous pallidus) grounded on their job site. Their roost had been destroyed and they were without a safe place to live. The workers were determined to find someone to care for these sweet pups, so they took them to several bat researchers they knew were working in the area. They named the little guys Bo and Baby Driver (“BD” for short).

Ready for Flight School

These researchers had the necessary skills to help Bo and BD survive. However, once the pups were old enough to start flying, they needed a safe place to stretch their wings. So they arranged for them to enroll in flight school—at Austin Bat Refuge’s large flight enclosure. Bo and BD are the first pallid bats to have come into our care, bringing the ABR species count up to 12. We provided dedicated care while these beautiful boys learned to fly and live like adult bats.

New Kids on the Block

Pallid bats are pretty unique! They have very large ears, even by bat standards. As with other species, the large ears help them hear their prey. However, unlike most other bat species, pallids forage for prey on the ground as well as on the wing. Their prey includes large flightless insects which they locate by listening for the sound of insects’ “foot-steps” on the ground. Pallid bats consume a large variety of insects, many as large as 70mm (more than 2 1/2 inches). They also drink nectar and eat the fruit of agave plants in Texas, making them pollinators! Pallids are a western species, inhabiting the arid regions of western North America and Canada, as well as central Mexico.

Spending time with Bo and BD gave us the chance to watch pallids up close for the first time. All the bats we care for come from the wild and are, therefore, truly Wild-Life. However, these desert bats were more proud and independent than most of the bats we see at the refuge. They proved a unique challenge to care for—they had to be monitored very closely to make sure they were eating enough. They never ate a mealworm from our hands. But even tough guys like Bo and BD have a soft side. In their natural habitats, pallid bats roost in colonies. Out in the flight enclosure, Bo and BD cuddled up with Moby, a leucistic Mexican free-tail, and together they were known as the “Pale Males.” They were also completely devoted to each other. Flying around the enclosure, anywhere Bo flew, BD was flying right behind.

Earning Their Wings

After a year of practice, Bo and BD graduated flight school! Sophie, a bat researcher and environmental justice advocate, who happens to be the current Miss Delaware (perhaps soon to be Miss America!), came to visit about that time. She was heading back out to west Texas so she picked up Bo and BD and found a beautiful cliff face full of crevices for the boys. On July 18, 2021, they were released back into their desert home. Just like at Austin Bat Refuge, as soon as Bo took off, BD was quick to follow!

Protecting Their Brothers and Sisters

Our social media posts about Bo and BD caught the attention of The Endangered Ecosystem Alliance, a national advocacy organization for science-based protection of Canadian ecosystems. We granted them permission to use the close-up video in a mini-documentary promoting protection of the western Canadian grasslands and the species (including pallids) that call them home.

Nick Davis, Operation Officer for EEA, thanked us by responding “Amazing, thank you so much Lee & Dianne! These two bats have some serious charisma, I'm so glad we'll be able to include them!”

We look forward to a long collaboration with this up-and-coming, vital group of conservationists. You can see more about their org and the project, including a short trailer, here: https://www.endangeredecosystemsalliance.org/about.

Start Planning Your Bat Education Program Now!

School is about to start, which is a great time to start planning educational programs for your class, scout troop, or other educational endeavor. You can currently schedule virtual events with Austin Bat Refuge, which include a close look at some of the bats in our care. We hope to resume in-person events soon, depending on the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether on Zoom or in person, these are unique educational opportunities that students and teachers will talk about for years to come. Learn more about our educational programs and how to contact us to book one on our website. But don’t wait, our schedule fills up quickly during the school year!

T-Shirts Soon to Be Re-stocked!

ABR t-shirts are soon to be re-stocked with some new styles and colors, so look for a special e-blast announcing their arrival.

Summer Reading List

There are still a few weeks of summer to lounge on the beach and read a good book. Here are a few of our favorites for bat enthusiasts of all ages. You can find them at the local library or buy them from a local bookstore.

• Bats of Texas by Loren Ammerman, Christine L. Hice, and David J. Schmidly

• Do Bats Drink Blood?: Fascinating Answers to Questions about Bats by Barbara A. Schmidt-French and Carol Butler

• Stellaluna by Janell Canon

• Bats in the Ballpark and Bats on the Beach by Brian Lies

We hope you enjoy the rest of your August. Bat blessings to you and yours.

…

Love,

Dianne and Lee, co-founders of Austin Bat Refuge