Fly-by-night problem Experts say downtown home to 70,000 bats By BETH FOLEY PALESTINE — Palestine residents can lay claim to being No. 1 — in bats. A pair of bat eradication experts told city officials, downtown business owners and residents at a meeting at City Hall Tuesday afternoon that they estimated between 70,000-90,000 Mexican freetail bats have taken up residence in at least 28 downtown buildings.