Rescued Bat 'Red Russel' Enjoys a Treat

A red flying-fox bat was rescued and fed after it was found clinging to a gutter near a road in Rochedale South, Queensland, Australia.

The footage was posted online by Queensland-based Denise Wade, who has been caring for injured baby bats for more than a decade.

Attending to the injured bats at her home in Rochedale South, she regularly shares updates on the animals to her Batzilla the Bat YouTube and Facebook pages. Credit: Batzilla the Bat via Storyful

Video transcript

- Well, we know summer's coming when the little reds start coming back into town. And this is Russell. And he was rescued-- oh, my goodness, he's thirsty-- by well, we called him by a member of the public, about two hours of Brisbane where we're based yesterday. And he was found hanging on a gutter, weren't you? So we're not sure if he got bumped by a car or what happened to you.

He's got no fresh injuries. He's got an old barbed wire injury that he's managed to heal. He's lovely and-- lovely and fat. And it's sleek. He's in really, really good condition. So he's had a night in bed. And I think he might take him outside because he just looks so good.

And take him out with the other little reds that we've got in care. And he likes juice, don't you? You want some company? Very sweet. Say-- say message, same old message. Any bat by itself through the day is in trouble, please call it in.

And the blacks and the greys are-- the girls are heavily pregnant at this time of the year. But reds mate and give birth six months out of sync to the other species. So they're just coming into their mating season. You hear a bit of noise out in the aviary at night, as evidence that they're going to start producing babies.

Anyway, we might-- want some more juice, darling? There you go. They love juice, little reds. And you'll just love this stuff.

So anyway, I think we're on the cusp of orphan season. We might get another two weeks before somebody flicks a switch and orphan start arriving. Usually by mid-October that's happening.

So just remember, anybody by itself, and if you hear any persistent bleating. Don't touch. Have a look. Don't touch.

And if it's a bat by itself or it's a baby crying, please call it in and save a life. I'm going to get you outside, my friend. Fill up your tank with juice. And you can go out and meet the other people.