Film Synopsis
Against the backdrop of the sixth mass extinction, an all-woman team of biologists set out to save bats from a deadly fungal disease, but when the COVID-19 pandemic interrupts their work, they are sent down a path of discovery that illuminates the connections between bat conservation and the spread of infectious disease.
“The Invisible Mammal” is a captivating feature documentary that follows “Team Fat Bat,” a dedicated group of women scientists led by Dr. Winifred Frick, Chief Scientist of Bat Conservation International, as they strive to save North America’s bats from the devastating effects of white-nose syndrome (WNS). The film introduces the urgency of their mission through Dr. Frick’s passionate mentorship of her young son Darwin and her relentless pursuit of solutions to combat WNS. In 2019, Dr. Alice Chung-MacCoubrey’s discovery of the WNS-causing fungus in Northern California propels Dr. Frick’s team to pilot a new research project called “Operation Fat Bat” in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, aiming to increase bats’ survival rates through innovative methods. The project faces setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the spread of misinformation about bats, but public educators like Corky Quirk and researchers like Dr. Kevin Olival emphasize the importance of bat conservation for ecosystem and human health. As restrictions ease, Team Fat Bat resumes their efforts, ultimately achieving positive results and celebrating with the awe-inspiring “batnado” at Bracken Cave, symbolizing hope for the future of North America’s bats.