An Austin-based bat rescue organization has stepped in to save a colony of endangered bats at a San Antonio apartment complex. The bats were reportedly imperiled after the complex's management used spray foam to seal the creatures inside the building walls following a complaint from a new tenant, according to FOX San Antonio.

Bat World Sanctuary members, alerted by an outcry on Facebook, arrived at the scene. Their quick response to the situation culminated in the removal of the foam from the bat exits. Initially the Austin Bat Refuge's attempt was thwarted by the complex's maintenance crew, they were allowed to proceed after a discussion with the apartment manager. "Began removing the dried spray foam" from the bat exits was the immediate action taken by the team, as FOX San Antonio reported.

The trapped bats, a protected species under Texas law, had been coexisting with Hillside Manor Apartments residents for years without problems until the recent complaint. MSN notes that while the management's actions might starve many bats, others could potentially enter people's homes through vents and light fixtures in their bid for escape.

"It's inhumane," a Facebook post from Bat World Sanctuary decried the act of sealing the bats inside the complex. With their escape routes cut off, bats might invade other apartments, which is not only a health concern but contravenes the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department regulations allowing the controlled removal of bats in inhabited buildings. The trapped bats, who were using foam as their unintended coffin, were putting residents and pets at risk by possibly making their way into occupied apartments.

Under Texas Parks and Wildlife, bats cannot be hunted, killed, or sold, but can be moved or trapped if they are within occupied buildings and pose health risks. Bat World Sanctuary's involvement ensures that both animal welfare and public health concerns are being addressed, a balance that is particularly critical for species who have long lived among urban populations.