Nearly 700 frozen bats nursed back to health after surviving chilly weather

In all, 1,544 bats were rescued around Houston, Texas, many having suffered hypothermic shock'

More than 700 wild bats were released in the Houston, Texas area on Wednesday night after undergoing about one week of rehabilitation from exposure to frigid temperatures.

The Houston Humane Society and Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition announced the Mexican free-tailed bats were released back to their colony under the city's Waugh Drive bridge. Hundreds" more were returned to another colony at the Pearland Fite Road Bridge in nearby Pearland, Texas late Wednesday, the organization said on its Facebook page.