A video uploaded by an Australian bat rescue clinic shows some tiny baby bats as they are cared for by bat handlers. According to the Australian Bat Clinic, the bats are a breed called flying fox.
The clinic notes that flying fox colonies are under pressure in Australia due to loss of habitat, a negative public perception, and extreme heat events that have wiped out entire colonies. The Australian Bat Clinic and many other wildlife groups in eastern Australia are currently inundated with baby bats that have been rescued following the latest tragedy, which saw thousands of bats lose their lives due to the heat.
Baby bats, much like baby humans, are very attached to their mothers, and rely on them for survival. When the mother dies, the bat clinics will find the baby bats often still attached to the mother, and as a result, will not survive without the right care. The organization notes that bat carers play a vital role in caring for baby bats separated from their mothers.
“Bat carers play a vital role in not only retrieving suffering bats, but rehabilitating them until they can be released back into the wild. When baby bats first enter rehabilitation it can be traumatizing for them as they have just been separated from their mothers to which they have formed strong bonds. Bat carers have to ensure that the baby bats not only are well fed, but that they are nurtured and feel safe in their temporary new home. Providing affection to the bats is a necessity.”
Tiny bat pacifiers represent their mother’s nipple, and this makes them feel more comfortable, as does swaddling in blankets. The baby bats are given lots of attention and care until they are old enough to be released.
Did you know that baby bats were cared for much like baby humans when in clinic care?
