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We are already seeing high temperatures in the 90s, with a few days hitting triple digits. Even though our bats are pretty good at staying cool, our refuge relies on things like air conditioning and fans to keep the bats and people safe during the coming summer months. As more and more people crank their home AC units down, Texas is at risk of experiencing rolling blackouts or power outages. We were lucky during the February winter storm because we never lost power. But we can’t take that risk again—there are too many vulnerable bats whose lives depend on our refuge remaining a safe temperature throughout both the cold and the heat.

That is why we are asking for your help.

We are asking for donations so we can buy a backup generator for the shelter. That way, come hail or blistering summer heat, we know we will be able to continue to keep the bats that rely on us safe.

We are hoping to raise at least $1,500 to purchase a generator. Chip in anything you can—every dollar helps!

In other news, our friends the Mexican free-tailed bats are back. They flew to Austin from their winter roosts in early spring—and boy are their arms tired! No…really, they are. By the end of June, mama bats have given birth to their pups. Baby bats may look small, but mom’s new bundle of joy, at birth, is about 25% as big as she is! They grow up so fast; in just five or six weeks the babies will be flying on their own and learning to catch delicious moths for their dinner.

We adore our free-tails, but June at the refuge is baby red bat season! We were worried that the reds didn’t make it through Winter Storm Uri, but it seems the heat is a bigger problem for the mums nursing up to four pups, totaling twice the mother’s body weight. We have taken in 68 mother and baby red bats so far this month that were injured by predators, displaced by habitat loss, or just plain exhausted. Some we lost to their injuries, but 90% are safe and happy here at the refuge. The older pups are learning to fly now, and the younger ones are watching and waiting eagerly for when their time comes to hunt insects around the blacklight!

Please check out our social media for up close videos of these little charmers (and like/follow etc). We may be biased, but we contend there is nothing on earth that is cuter than a red bat pup. Tell us what you think!

This is all very exciting for the bats, but for the bat rehabbers it can lead to a lot of extra work. That means that starting in spring and running all the way through the middle of fall, the dedicated staff at Austin Bat Refuge have our work cut out for us. (There are only two of us after all!)

But now that restrictions are easing, our volunteers will again be helping with the load. They have already logged over 90 hours and thousands of miles transporting bats to us from all over the state, most frequently from the greater Houston area.

We even were able to arrange for an injured hoary bat to be transported from Joplin, Missouri to Columbia, Missouri to receive care. Sending a big shoutout to the national supportive network that rallies around bats in need!

We are so grateful to our volunteers and are overjoyed that some will soon be able to help with bat care once more.

And we’re grateful for Austin Bat Refuge supporters, like you.

Every day, you make it possible for us to provide a second chance to orphaned and injured bats. We couldn’t do it without you!

Bat blessings to you and yours.

Love,

Dianne and Lee

Co-founders of Austin Bat Refuge