ALBAWABA - Barbara Gorecka, a 69-year-old Polish pensioner, has earned herself the nickname "Bat-mum" for her dedicated care of bats from her ninth-floor apartment as they face challenges linked to climate change.
Gorecka established a bat sanctuary in her residential building, where she has cared for approximately 1,600 bats over the past 16 years. The journey began when bats unexpectedly emerged from the ventilation ducts into her apartment during a cold January.
(Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP)
Currently, Gorecka looks after around thirty-six bats that are sick, injured, or disoriented from hibernation disturbances. Many of the bats she cares for are exhausted and incapable of flying due to being prematurely awakened, such as by loud noises like fireworks.
According to Gorecka, there is a connection between climate change and the rising need for bat assistance in her sanctuary. Warmer temperatures confuse the bats into thinking it's spring prematurely, depleting their energy reserves and preventing them from flying.
(Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP)
Despite some initial fears about bats, such as the risk of rabies, Gorecka sought advice from a microbiologist friend and now works together with experts and volunteers to provide individualized care to each bat. She is deeply committed to rehabilitating bats with fractures or other long-term injuries, ensuring they receive the care they need to safely return to the wild.
Gorecka even takes the bats to schools for educational purposes and provides round-the-clock care, describing her bond with the bats as akin to a mother's love for her child. Through her passion and dedication, "Bat-mum" is making a meaningful difference in the lives of these creatures.
