Bat World Lonestar

There are 32 species of bats in Texas, most of which are insectivorous (insect eating). Five bats in Texas are candidates for listing as Threatened or Endangered by Texas or the US Department of Fish and Wildlife. These species include the southern yellow bat, the western yellow bat, Rafinesque's big eared bat, the spotted bat and the Mexican long-nosed bat. Eight species are listed as C2, a former category used to identify species at potential risk. These include the big free-tailed bat, the Western mastiff bat, the Mexican long-tongued bat, the South-eastern Myotis, the small-footed Myotis, the Long-legged Myotis, the Yuma Myotis and the Cave Myotis.Texas bat populations are deteriorating primarily due to humans who fear (see Myths and Facts) or by indirect human activity such as a loss of habitat from land development. Loss of habitat has forced bats to look for alternate roosting sites which sometimes include human structures. Bat colonies that roost in buildings are sometimes destroyed during attempts to remove them. However, alternate and humane methods exist to evict bats (see Bat Problems). Education is the most important key we have in fighting ignorance and promoting the conservation of bats. Bat World Lone Star is dedicated to saving bats through educational programs and by providing rescue in the north Texas area. Thousands of bats are rescued, rehabilitated and returned to the wild every year through the Bat World organization. Donations and memberships help this nonprofit organization to survive. For additional information contact:Dottie Hyatt, Bat World Lone Star. 817-431-4866. dhyatt@batworld.org

Bat World Lone Star provides rescue in the North Central Texas area.

If you have found a downed bat, please do not touch it with bare hands. Follow the instructions listed on Found a Bat page to contain the bat, then please call Bat World Lone Star as soon as possible.

Dottie Hyatt, Director
Bat World Lone Star
817-431-4866

 

All of our future conservation efforts for bats will be found in children

Bat World is dedicated to protecting the balance of the environment as well as providing educational programs to school children. We have  been giving educational presentations for over a decade. Our guidelines for programs using live bats are endorsed by both public health and wildlife officials, and are utilized by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. Bat World has been featured on 20/20, Animal Planet, Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel.
Above: Bat World VP Dottie Hyatt, teaching a pre-schooler about bats.
Our informative and entertaining programs dispel myths while encouraging conservation. Respect for all wildlife is encouraged, with particular emphasis  placed on the potential dangers of handling wild animals. Both foliage-roosting and crevice-dwelling bats are displayed in their simulated natural habitats. The non-releasable bats that take part in our lectures are only those that are not stressed while being viewed. Along with learning about the ecological importance of each species, children and adults learn about the fascinating personalities of the individual bats!

Children and adults can be positively exposed to several species of live bats in either a classroom or an auditorium setting.  Programs generally last one to one and one-half hours.

• Classroom lectures: $250.00 for up to 45 people.
• Additional people (over 45) - $5.00 each

Right: A red bat (Lasiurus borealis) in a simulated natural habitat educational display cage.

Dottie Hyatt, Director, Bat World Lone Star
Licensed Bat Rehabilitator, Animal Activist, Project Manager

Before becoming acquainted with bats, I worked as an animal activist and rehabilitator for over twenty years, rescuing and nurturing everything from displaced dogs and cats to squirrels, bunnies, deer and manatees in my native Florida. After moving to Texas and embracing their beautiful wildlife, my husband John and I sought out our certification as wildlife rehabilitators at the urging of friends who, given our overwhelming need to rescue anything that needed assistance, could not understand why we had never become certified or licensed. It was at a wildlife-training seminar we were briefly introduced to the amazing intellect, cleanliness and affectionate nature of bats. It was further explained that their numbers are declining at an alarming rate and they are the slowest reproducing mammals on the face of the earth. Bats are
responsible for over 450 commercial products that are part of our every day life and they pollinate the plants from which over 80 medications are derived. Bats are virtually saving the lungs of our plant, the rain forests, as they are responsible for 98% of the reforestation of those areas that have been decimated. Scientists have determined all of the world's ecosystems are dependent upon one another and the majority of those are dependent upon bats. Given their importance, it is astounding that we are not raised to appreciate the significant contribution bats make in their lifetime as well as in ours.

The truly extraordinary bit of information about bats is that our own existence on this planet depends upon them yet bat programs are not a regular part of any school curriculum. This is a travesty and something, that in our own small way, we are trying to correct by offering educational outreach extension programs as well as field trips to the renowned Bat World Sanctuary in Mineral Wells.

But, back to our story…after learning about bats, we were eager to help them but it was approximately one year before we ever saw our first bat. I was carrying groceries in through the garage when I saw what I thought was a hairball the cat had spit up. The cat sat there, beckoning my attention, but I merely pet his head as I passed back and forth. On my final trip I came back with a wet wipe and paper toweling to clean up the 'hair ball', but the hairball moved, I screamed, and it was then that I saw the beautiful draped wing appear. I remembered seeing a program on TV about the 'Bat Woman of Mineral Wells' so I made haste to call her and seek advice. She assured me that one had to be specially trained to care for a bat since they were so specialized, high metabolic rate, dehydrate quickly, etc., etc., etc. Once we established my credentials, Amanda quickly gave me vital information, carefully instructed me on hydrating a bat, and helped me to save this precious life and so our lifelong friendship began (as well as hundreds of hours of training). Today, I devote my rehabilitation time strictly to bats and average about 100 bat rescues per year and give scores of lectures to schools, wildlife organizations, nature stores and scouting troops.

Bat World Lone Star is located in the north central part of Texas, in an area known as Twin Springs. Twin Springs was originally one of the primary pony express stops between East and West and today Twin Springs has been divided into two estate farms, each with its own spring. One raises champion Arabian horses; the other has the water bottled under the label of Samantha Springs. We are fortunate to be the closest Bat World satellite to our headquarters, Bat World Sanctuary, as we are a mere 60 miles away.

For additional information contact:
Dottie Hyatt, Bat World Lone Star
817-431-4866
dhyatt@batworld.org

REGULAR NEEDS

Mealworms: Available from Sunshine Mealworms  (800-322-1100)

Worm sizes needed most often are small and medium, in bags of 1000 or 5,000.  Donations in either amount are greatly appreciated. Please have Sunshine Mealworms credit the account of Bat World Lone Star.

Dental Care Items

Liquid Oral Care, #122172  - $6.99 a bottle.Available at Pets Mart  - (888-839-9638)

DDS Dental Biscuits, #EIK4802-$5.99 a bag. Available at Future Pets - (888-738-3976)
 
Calcium carbonate powder, #1245 - $4.99 bottle. Available at NOW Foods - (888-301-1336)
 
Coenzyme capsules (USP or NSF certified), 75mg capsules - approx $30.00 a bottle. Available at Drugstore.com -(800-378-4786)
 
EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

A good new or used slide carousel of any brand.