Rescue & Rehabilitation
Caring for orphaned and injured bats
Many adult, juvenile and orphaned bats are rescued, rehabilitated, and released every year by volunteer wildlife carers in Australia.
Flying-fox orphans are particularly delightful and rewarding to care for. However, it is a time-consuming process until they can be soft released back into the wild (approximately six months later).
Some adult flying-foxes, such as those recovering from barbed wire injuries, can also remain in care for many months. The costs involved for long-term rehabilitation, particularly for food and medications, can be substantial.
Specialised training, vaccinations, and permits are required in order to care for bats. The expenses incurred caring for bats are often met by the volunteers personally, although most wildlife organisations will try to subsidise the activities of their volunteers through grants and fundraising.
There are a wide variety of causes, including man-made hazards, which necessitate the rescue and rehabilitation of bats.
Flying-foxes can target fruits grown in orchards and suburban backyards when natural food sources are scarce. Understandably, stealing fruit makes them very unpopular and encourages the use of crop protection methods. In instances where loosely draped or wide aperture fruit tree netting is used, hungry flying-foxes and other wildlife can easily become entangled, resulting in terrible injuries and death.
A range of wildlife friendly netting is available which protects both the crop and wildlife.
Getting caught on barbed wire fencing or electrocuted on overhead powerlines (particularly when flowering or fruiting trees are nearby), dog attacks and collisions with cars are also common occurrences that often prove fatal.
Found a bat?
Australian Bat Lyssavirus, a rare virus similar to rabies, can only be transmitted by a bite or scratch from an infected bat. While the risk is exceptionally low, it is assumed that any bat can potentially carry the virus. Unvaccinated and untrained people should therefore not handle bats.
If you find a bat in distress, or one that is hanging alone by itself during the day PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH IT. Contact your nearest wildlife rescue organization or RSPCA (ph. 1300 264 625) for advice and assistance.
To find a wildlife rescue organization near you, search online