In early September, the Nebraska Humane Society Animal Control responded to an unusual call: Employees were clocking in to work at an office building in Omaha when they saw a small bat crouched on the floor of their office space.
Once the bat was safely secured, staff immediately transported it to Nebraska Wildlife Rehab for specialized care.
A bat sighting in Nebraska is not unheard of. In fact, 14 different species of bat live across the state of Nebraska, with the most common being the big brown bat and the little brown bat.
But this was a cave myotis, and it was hundreds of miles away from home.
“Halloween came early to the Wildlife Center with the arrival of yet another bat species never before documented in Nebraska!” Nebraska Wildlife Rehab posted to its Instagram account on September 7.
The cave myotis, also known as the mouse-eared bat, is commonly found in Mexico and the Southwestern United States.
“Cave myotis are aptly named for their preference for roosting in caves, mines, and other sheltered spaces,” Nebraska Wildlife Rehab continued. “Their normal range stretches across much of the western and southwestern United States and into Mexico — but Nebraska isn’t part of it. In fact, this species had never before been documented in our state.”
The rescue and rehabilitation center said they couldn’t be certain of the bat’s origins, but they did offer a “pretty good theory.”
“She may have been an accidental stowaway. We suspect this little bat could have tucked herself into a shipment or piece of freight originating within her normal range, only to emerge after arriving in Omaha,” the center explained. “It’s not unheard of for wildlife to hitch an unintended ride in transported goods, and her unusual location and circumstances make an accidental journey a plausible explanation.”
In rare cases, some animals at Nebraska Wildlife Rehab are unable to return to the wild. For most, however, the ultimate goal is rewilding. Each year, the center successfully rehabilitates more than 8,000 animals.
“Whatever her route,” the center wrote, “her unexpected arrival gave our team the opportunity to document a species never before recorded here and provide this beautiful bat with a safe place to land!”
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Nebraska Wildlife Rehab, Inc./Facebook
