Bat Maternity Season

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida's von Arx Wildlife Hospital recently went a little ... batty. Recent storms contributed to many new patients at the wildlife hospital but especially bats with a colony of 156 pups being rescued. Since 2017, that's the most bats the hospital has had that were in need of examinations and re-nesting.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recommends property owners check homes and other buildings for roosting bats before maternity season starts.

Bats have been in the news in recent years in connection to deadly epidemics including Ebola and COVID-19, yet scientists are discovering evidence that bats may hold a key to longer and healthier lives.

The bat maternity season is approaching in Southwest Florida, and that means homeowners who are the unwitting hosts to a bat roost will have to wait until…