Luke Marsden / Newspix / Rex / Rex USA
The little guys pictured above are five of the 130 orphaned bats rescued by director Trish Wimberley and the other caretakers at the Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre.
Saving These Babies
Young bats are extremely susceptible during natural disasters such as floods because they feed on the ground, where they're vulnerable. Rescued baby bats are bottle-fed and kept hanging on clotheslines or in special intensive care units for four weeks or so, until they're ready to fly on their own.
Wimberley emphasizes the bats' importance in the ecosystem. "Bats are a barometer to what is going on in the environment. They're our canaries down the coal mine," she says.
How You Can Help
Interested in lending a hand? You can purchase a membership or make a donation on the Australian Bat Clinic website, or to learn about other ways to help affected animals ranging from kangaroos to turtles and wombats, go to Animals Australia. If you are particularly concerned about the pets and livestock, consider donating to the Australian RSPCA. Our friends at Catster note that this link is the best one for a credit card donation to the RSPCA.
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The last time I saw this photo, I looked for a way to buy a copy. This seems like a great way to make money for the animals. This is an amazing photo.
how about t-shirts to help raise funds?
title on under the babies could say something like "let's go batty and all hang out"
This is the cutest freakin thing I've ever seen
Aw! How adorable! I almost thought that one all the way on the right was a Scottish Terrier. But t-shirts of this picture would be a great idea to raise money.
This photo is too cute. What an awesome picture.
Great idea Post #4! I'd love to have a T-shirt with that image. Your tag line was perfect. I had been thinking to install a bat avairy when I was called to rescue a baby bat from an old down-town building. We may think they are "blind" but those little orbs followed my every movement.
There are definitely some sick people out there, with way too much time on their hands.
I really hope you're not insinuating that you don't think these bats should be rescued. If you are, you obviously don't understand anything about ecology or ecosystems. Bats are EXTREMELY important. Among other very important tasks, they greatly reduce diseases (such as West Nile Virus) by putting a severe handicap on the insect population. A tiny bat can consume over 1,000 mosquitos (one of the worst disease vectors) in just an hour. Insects can also hear bats and avoid most areas they occupy (which is GREAT if you happen to own farmland, or enjoy the goods it produces). Because of their extreme sensitivity, they are also a very good indication of a healthy environment.......or of some pretty severe problems. Installing a bathouse in your backyard can save you from being eaten alive by mosquitos, and if inhabited, can all but rid your property of the little buggers.
Aw, they look like little dogs with beady eyes.
That is a beautiful picture............ I would buy it on a t-shirt, and be glad to show it off. What a wonderful organizatioon.
sorry about my extra "o"......now don't go raking me over the coals.......lol
Seems the news is a bit batty tonight. They're much cuter than the old bat I used to live with, probably smarter than her too!
whether you like them or not...we need bats!!..destroying harnful insects ..saving our crops and doing a host of other good, makes this small mammal a creature we now need more than ever!! judy..
Great post April # 8
Thanks a lot! :) As someone with a degree in Wildlife Management and Conservation, I just love dispelling people's misconceptions about things like this! So many people believe that things like bats are "pests", I really like shedding some light on the truth about them. :)
I live in an area with serious concerns over West Nile Virus. We have a most attentive mosquito abatement program that must deal with numerous foreclosed homes having stagnant pools that weren't drained prior to move out.
Not talked about on the news is an area north of Los Angeles known for their McMansions of the 90's. As you can imagine, most of those are now deserted. Several cases of malaria have been reported by postal carriers who must (now) wear protective gear to deliver mail.
I think those are very, very good reasons to build bat avaries and part of the reason I am