An Interview With A Bat

An Interview with a Bat

Joseph Parish

As everyone knows, I am an active participant in the DNREC, Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Delaware Bat Count Spotters. The state of Delaware has been monitoring our local bat population since 2009, in an effort to report upon the devastating fungal disease known as the White Nose Syndrome. We monitor the bat population and on occasions, capture and band bats within a specific location. I am one of the people in the program who have received the proper immunization and training to actually handle these nine different adorable bat species. Working with these delightful creatures for the past three years has evoked a feeling in me that I would not mind having one as a pet, however, after this interview with a bat the thought has been completely dismissed from my mind. For several days now I have been watching dozens of videos on YouTube concerning bats and their captivity. This rant is a fictional account of an interview with a captive, female bat held in a cage.

I have no name since we do not normally assign names to our populace. I remember clearly how in July of 2008 I was minding my own business hanging out with my mother when the two of us were captured. After the villains grab us with nets, we were initially placed in an exotic pet collection within under-sized cages for a miserable 10 long agonizing years until I was finally rescued. Both my mother and I were held captive as pets and unfortunately my mother failed to survive the ordeal. She died several years after we were placed in the cage.

Picture for a moment being taken captive by some unknown creatures and every day I looked at my four walls and ask myself, “Why.” Unfortunately, the answer never appeared to me. I failed to understand my capturer’s language and any attempts I made towards escaping were fruitless. I felt totally terrified, hanging alone in my cage as I had no idea what-so-ever what these creatures desired for me. All I knew was that I was completely powerless to escape my prison.

My assailant hung me in a bathroom with only one small window which was covered up by a shade preventing me from seeing the outside world. The window did not open therefore I was prevented from ever getting fresh air into the room or being able to perceive my outside environment. I had a sink in the room, however only my captor was knowledgeable enough to turn the water on. Within the room was a toilet from which one can eliminate themselves, but alas again, only the captors were able to make the decision on when this toilet should be flushed.

My diet was rather boring as I received the same foods day in and day out. There were never any variety in my meals. If I felt sick, there was no one here who would know how to help me so I was left to suffer in great pain. My walls have no pictures on them, there is no television for me to watch, no computer was available and worse of all I had no companions here. There were no toys or activities for me so I had nothing at my disposal to help pass the endless days and nights. I was lucky at first since I had my mother to keep me company, but now I am completely alone. This, my friend, is what my life felt like. This is where I spent every single day and night of my life until I too will end up dying as my mother did. I have no control over my life or my world at all.

I have no control at all. I am not afforded the opportunity to decide the events which take place in my daily life, nor to determine what foods I will eat or when I get to take a drink of fresh water. I do not determine if I get any fresh air, there are no companions to comfort me or to enrich my life. I will never have offspring of my own and my life span has decreased from the normal span of 25 years to ten at best.

I am the victim of a horrible cruelty and it is inhumane to keep me and other bats in a cage. I cringe to think that this treatment might also be inflicted upon my fellow bats at some future time. I experience terror at all turns of my life, I eat substandard food and I experience undo loneliness and boredom. If you have a bat in captivity, please let it go. You will feel better about yourself and the bat certainly will as well.

Visit me at www.wordwriter.info for more articles.