Our Gabe enlightened many students (and even some bigwigs) about bats’ role as pollinators, at the Univ. of Texas Community Science Fair last weekend. The Science Fair preceded a wonderful talk titled “The Buzz About Bees” by Dr. Shalene Jha. Look for a recording of the webcast under “Talk Archives” at http://www.hotsciencecooltalks.org/
Even though eastern red bats are not pollinators, he captured hearts and minds of the crowd and got shout-outs from the speaker and the head of the Environmental Science Institute!

According to DIDEY MONTOYA, Outreach Coordinator, Hot Science – Cool Talks | The University of Texas at Austin | Environmental Science Institute | www.esi.utexas.edu
“We had over 400 attendees, 11 organizations and over 30 volunteers who helped us make our last event of the spring a success. The Environmental Science Institute couldn’t have offered such a great event without the involvement of groups and organizations such as yours. Thank you for helping inspire, engage and excite K-12 students, teachers, parents and the community in general in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The recording of the webcast is now available under the “Talk Archives” section at www.hotsciencecooltalks.org.
We will return next fall with an exciting lineup of STEM professionals ready to share their latest research. If you are not already part of the Hot Science – Cool Talks mailing list and wish to be added, let me know. Thanks again for your help!”

 


Gabe, the Leader of the Bat Pack, howls to proclaim his dominance over all he surveys!
He wowed over 5,000 students in an on-line Distance Learning event at the Texas Wildlife Association.
Their Halloween annual with our bats, called Bats-a-Billion, is their biggest online event of the year every year.


In addition to Gabe, we brought Buffy (a northern yellow bat), Zonker (an evening bat), and Buddy (a Mexican free-tailed bat).
They are all good bats!

 


Kyndal Irwin Intern Summer 2016

Kyndal Irwin (& Zonker)

Kyndal is a sophmore at the University of Texas and taking a heavy course load in their College of Biological Sciences.  Genetics and Bio-Statistics will serve her well in her career in bat work.
We love having her as part of the team!

Congratulations Austin Bat Girl, on completing the summer intern program at Austin Bat Refuge!
Your dedication went above and beyond a call of duty!
You are now an ABR Certified Bat Handler!

The loving care you gave the Bat Class of 2016 ensured they got the very best start to their new, wild lives.
Or, as you would put it, in your own inimitable way:

“After months of making a determined team, the bats and Austin Bat Refuge are proud to say, that together- WE DID IT! ”
This pup says “I’m ready to be released! Thanks for the help, humans!”

Tonight, many of our bats will return to a life in the wild! Get on with your bat self! We’ll miss you guys, thanks for all the fun!”

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What a great release last night! Such a joy to see them leap from the pup tent and circle above us in the twilight! We’ll miss their nightly insect hunting competition in the flight cage, but our hearts and minds go with them as they soar the night skies, ranging as high and wide as their hearts desire, flying wild and free! Indelible memories little bats, thanks so much!
Oh and your’re not quite ready to go yet sweetheart? Then you can stay with us, we’ll try again later.

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