The Australian Woman Who Rescues Bats

Luckily, there are always people who are aware of animal suffering and unselfishly give their time and resources to help those who need them the most. This is the case of a woman who rescues bats. She has already managed to save hundreds of them.

The woman who rescues bats

Due to the effect urbanization, many animals struggle to survive more than they do in the wild. They can hit cars, get trapped in industrial buildings, or get trapped inside houses.

These problems affect many different species: birds, foxes, feral cats. Bats are no exception. Fortunately, bats have the expertise and affection of a woman whose job it is to take care of them. She helps them heal until they can return to their natural habitat.

Megan Church has been rescuing bats in Australia for almost 10 years. After going through a difficult autoimmune disease, she found the strength to improve and recover thanks to bats. Like many others who rescue animals, she started caring for orphaned offspring.

However, soon word got out that she knew how to take care of these flying mammals. Soon, she became the woman who rescues bats in the broadest sense of the word. When someone finds a bat in trouble, Megan Church comes and tries to help the bat.

During the years she has been doing this work, people have found bats everywhere: tangled up in branches, trapped inside chimneys… It’s quite common to find bats that get stuck in fences and barbed wire.

However, Megan also continues to take care of orphaned babies. She gives them bottles, cleans them, and protects them just like their mothers would. Surprisingly, baby bats feel calm when they have something to bite and hug, so she also makes them pacifiers and gives them stuffed animals.

The importance of bats in nature

The woman who rescues bats lives in Australia, in a city near Sydney. In this area, most of the bat species are the grey-headed flying fox. This is the largest species of bat in Australia.

Despite the bad reputation of bats, this species is frugivorous. This means they only eat fruits and flower nectar. Consequently, they play a huge role in disseminating seeds and replating trees, in addition to pollinating plants.

These bats can travel long distances from their nests to where they find food. They’re frugivorous mammals that travel the longest distances. This means they are essential for the health of tropical forests.

A future for bats

Megan Church knows that her goal is to return healthy animals to nature. She cares for them until they’re back in optimal conditions to survive freely in the wild. Therefore, all the animals that she cares for are only there temporarily.

Each rescue is completed when the animal can return to nature. Some of these bats require more care than others. Many are just tired or confused. However, others have been harmed and need to be taken care of for several weeks.

Megan Church has a YouTube channel, Megabattie, where she discusses her rescues and her successes. You can see videos how she finds these animals —  babies drinking from a bottle — and the most importantly: being nurtured back to health to fly on their own and return to nature.

How you can help rescue animals

All animal species need people dedicated to looking out for their welfare. Not all people live in environments where you can help such exotic animals, but anyone can help those that need it.

If you have spare time and experience, animal protection agencies are always looking for volunteers. Some don’t just help with dogs and cats. There are also sanctuaries dedicated to farm animals. Plus, there are associations that are only specialized in rodents.

If you have limited free time, there are many other ways to help rescuers. You can help provide supplies, donate money, help them fundraise, or even do something as simple as helping them drive animals to the vet.

Although, as you’ll see in every Megabattie video, you need to be knowledgeable about the animals before touching them. There are bats that could be dangerous. Even stray cats can spread diseases. If you want to save animals, you need to protect yourself first.

The woman who rescues bats lives in Australia and she has been helping these small, flying mammals for almost a decade. However, she is not the only one dedicated to saving the lives of animals. There are also organizations and individuals from all over the world that help animals in need.