The Bat Zone's animal population has recently increased and is in need of new caging for some of our animals. In addition, the Bat Zone is in need of humidifying units to provide proper humidity for our tropical species of animals. Finally, OBC is in need of a scanner with microchips to positively identify each individual animal. Two zoos recently transferred bats to the Bat Zone. The National Zoo in Washington DC decided to close their neotropical fruit bat display and needed to find homes for their bats. Twenty Jamaican fruit bats and forty short-tailed fruit bats came to the Bat Zone in 2005 for permanent housing. In addition, the Milwaukee County Zoo transferred 12 African straw-colored fruit bats to the Bat Zone for permanent housing. With these transfers, a new fruit bat flight cage was purchased to accommodate the new arrivals. The cage was designed specifically to house OBC's permanently injured large flying fox bats, including two Malayan flying fox bats, two endangered Rodrigues fruit bats from the Indian Ocean, and African straw-colored fruit bats. The Bat Zone animals are in need of your help. In 2006, we have had several more transfers tot he Bat Zone. The small city-owned zoo in Traverse City, Michigan was closed and transferred 3 Egyptian fruit bats, 1 little brown bat, 2 barred owls, and 1 red-tailed hawk (all were permanently injured). Large outdoor caging was purchased for the raptors. In addition, 3 permanently injured Indian flying fox bats were transferred from the Lubee Bat Conservancy to the Bat Zone in April of 2006. Lastly, we are in need of expanding our two-towed sloth enclosure. Mo, our 5 year-old sloth, lives with southern flying squirrels in the same caging unit. The flying squirrel population has recently increased due to a couple of transfers from other institutions. With the addition of dozens of bats and other animals, it is imperative that we purchase microchip scanners and microchips. Most of the bats that come to the Bat Zone already have microchips inserted under their skin. Microchip readers will make it possible for Bat Zone staff to accurately identify each individual for health records, program use, and potential breeding. We are also in need of supplying proper humidity to our exotic species. Conventional home humidifiers have proven ineffective and cost prohibitive. Zoo-like humidifying units are the proper way to provide the rain forest environment that the animals require. Lastly, donations by Bat Zone attendees have declined due to struggling economic times in Michigan and throughout the nation. The Organization for Bat Conservation receives some in-kind donations from local grocers, but the majority of animal care items needed are purchased. The Bat Zone animals are in need of consistent dietary meals and feeding supplies. Items needed and pricing. Thank you. $20 Fruit donation $60 Medical supplies $160 Enhancement of flying squirrel cage $280 Enhancement of fruit bat cage $500 Enlargement of sloth cage $1,000 Microchip reader needs $1,200 Humidifying unit needs $3,000 Animal housing needs $5,000 Bat Zone animal food and supplies (annual expense)