Hidden heroes of Pennsylvania’s bat conservation and rehabilitation efforts

As the sun dips below the tree line and the night sky takes over, a quiet but critical process begins above our heads. Tiny silhouettes flit through the dark, weaving between branches and barn rafters, doing the work of a thousand pesticides—silently, efficiently and for free.These are Pennsylvania’s bats, and despite their bad reputation in folklore and films, they’re some of the hardest-working—and most misunderstood—members of our ecosystem.Bats matter more than most people realize. These nocturnal mammals play a critical role in keeping our environment balanced. They eat thousands of insects every night—mosquitoes, moths, beetles and other crop-damaging pests—saving farmers millions of dollars and helping reduce the need for chemical pesticides.While bats may be stealthy in the sky, their struggles are becoming increasingly visible on the ground. Populations have plummeted in recent years due to threats like habitat loss, climate change and —perhaps most devastating of all—White-nose Syndrome, a deadly fungal disease that’s wiped-out entire colonies across the Northeast.Though these creatures are vital, there aren’t a ton of local people and organizations working to protect these essential creatures in Pennsylvania. There are even fewer helping bats that have been injured or impacted.That’s where Pennsylvania Bat Conservation and Rehabilitation steps in. They provide rescue and rehabilitation support for bats that are brought to their facility. Their staff and volunteers have committed much of their lives to helping re-introduce bats back into the wild. Once reintroduced, these bats can continue their incredible work in nature. But caring for bats can be a difficult and costly endeavor. There are few grants available and finding volunteers to help with such misunderstood creatures can be challenging. So that means we must do whatever we can to help Pennsylvania Bat Rescue and Rehabilitation. Donations. Sponsorships. Volunteers. Anything we can do to help. In fact, I am pledging a $100 donation to the organization to help with their important work. This money comes from podcast sticker and magnet purchases listeners have made over the last couple of years. So please, do what you can. On this episode I speak with Stephanie Stronsick. Stephanie is the founder and director of Pennsylvania Bat Conservation and Rehabilitation. Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:Keystone Trails AssociationPurple Lizard MapsPennsylvania Parks and Forests FoundationSisters' SunflowersSupport the showVisit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected. Hosting, production and editing: Christian AlexandersenMusic: Jon SauerGraphics: Matt Davis