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(Eptesicus fuscus).
Date of admission: Sept 28, 2025.
Reason for admission: Physical Injury.
Patient History:
One of nine bat species found in the province, the big brown bat is a year-round resident in Alberta. Among the largest of bats in Canada, big brown bats measure between 9-14 cm in body length and typically weigh 11 to 25 grams. They have long, silky brown fur, a broad nose, small eyes, and a wide snout. Their diet consists entirely of insects such as beetles, moths, and flying ants. Big brown bats are habitat generalists, meaning they can survive in a broad variety of habitats with adequate resources to meet their needs. In Canada, these can include grasslands and agricultural fields, forests, wetland areas, and urban areas.
As year-round residents, these small animals undergo an amazing physiological process to survive harsh Canadian winters. Big brown bats, among other bat species, go into a dormant state known as torpor while hibernating. During torpor, bats lower their body temperature, slow their breathing, and reduce their metabolism to conserve energy and outlast the cold winter months when food availability is minimal. These bats often hibernate in caves, alone or in colonies, and can bring their body temperatures low enough to match the environmental conditions of 1.1 degrees Celsius!
Big brown bats will mate before entering hibernation, and experience a phenomenon known as delayed fertilization. After mating in the fall, the female reproductive tract delays the start of pregnancy until April. This way, baby bats - called pups - are born in the early summer when the weather is warm and insects are abundant. Female big brown bats form nursery colonies to care for the pups, which helps to keep the young warm and sheltered from potential predators.
This big brown bat arrived at AIWC when she was found injured after a predator attack. This adult female had sustained significant injuries, with bruising over both wings, a small tear in the right wing, and swollen joints along her fingers. Since arriving at AIWC, the hole in her wing has healed over, and the bruising in her wings has resolved. At the time of year this bat was rescued, she would have been on the cusp of entering torpor for her winter hibernation, putting a fall release out of the question for her survival. She will remain in care over the winter to ensure she undergoes a complete recovery and is able to thrive in the wild.