Texas bat colony rescued after being sealed in San Antonio apartments: 'It's inhumane'

An Austin bat refuge has stepped in to rescue and remove a bat colony that had been sealed inside a San Antonio apartment complex.

Here's what we know:

Bats trapped inside San Antonio apartments

In a Facebook post, Bat World Sanctuary said that free-tailed bats had been living inside San Antonio's Hillside Manor Apartments for years without issue. However, when a new tenant complained, management used spray foam to trap the bats inside, the post claimed.

Sealing bats inside a complex might not have the desired effect. While many bats would die of starvation, others would find a way to escape, such as through vents and light fixtures. If they are blocked from a direct path outdoors, they might invade other apartments occupied by people and their pets.

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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department lists bats as a protected species, with some exceptions.

"Bats in Texas may not be hunted, killed, possessed, purchased or sold; however, bats may be moved, trapped, or killed if inside or on a building occupied by people," the Texas Parks and Wildlife website says. "A person may transport a bat for the purpose of laboratory testing if there is a rabies concern."

Austin Bat Refuge swoops in to save the day

In response to the situation at the apartment complex, another tenant reached out to the Austin Bat Refuge on Sunday. Manager Lee Mackenzie and Executive Director Dianne Odegard took immediate action.

In an interview with KENS 5, Mackenzie and Odegard agreed that sealing bats inside apartments is a lose-lose situation.

"It's inhumane, of course, for the bats," Odegard said, "and not a good situation for a building where animals die in spaces, in the walls or attic."

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When Mackenzie initially went to the apartment and began removing the foam, the maintenance staff asked him to stop. However, after speaking with management, he got permission to continue.

Mackenzie told KENS 5 he would be back Monday.

"What we'll do is install one-way valves that allow (the bats) to leave the roost but not get back in," Mackenzie explained.

The bat removal process is expected to take two weeks.

'Bats are very misunderstood animals'

Most bats never get rabies, Odegard said. If left alone, they are generally harmless.

"Bats are very misunderstood animals, " the Texas Parks and Wildlife website says. "They help control pests by consuming tons of insects each night and are vital pollinators and seed-dispersers for a variety of plants."

Staffers at the Austin Bat Refuge encourage people dealing with bats to reach out for more information.

"We are always very happy to talk to people about their situation and to recommend people who might be able to help," Odegard said, "or to even tell people under some circumstances how they might do a humane exclusion on their own."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Free-tailed bat colony rescued after being sealed in Texas apartments