ABOUT BAT CONSERVATION AND RESCUE QLD
Bat Conservation and Rescue Qld
is a registered not-for-profit volunteer organization that strives to help people understand the importance
of all bat species, to provide a prompt and humane rescue service, to raise orphans and to rehabilitate injured bats before returning them to the wild.
BCRQ offers this free 24/7 community service all year round including public holidays.
I HAVE FOUND A BAT
SEEK HELP – PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH BATS!
CALL OUR RESCUE HOTLINE ON 0488 228 134
If a bat bites or scratches a human, it may have to be destroyed and sent for testing for Australian Bat Lyssavirus – do not risk the bat’s life or your health. Only people trained and Rabies vaccinated should handle bats.
A flying-fox hanging on overhead power lines may still be alive. Even if dead, it may be a mother with a live baby tucked up under her wing. Please call BCRQ immediately.
If you find a flying-fox caught on a barbed wire fence, please very carefully and without touching it, throw a towel over the bat to help keep it calm. Then call BCRQ immediately.
If you find a flying-fox caught in fruit tree netting, do not try and cut the bat out of the net but call BCRQ immediately.
If the bat is on the ground, please cover the bat with a cardboard box or a washing basket to contain it and call BCRQ immediately.
Any bat by itself through the day is in trouble.
Keep children and pets away from the bat to help minimise its stress and remember, NO TOUCH NO RISK!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
BECOME A MEMBER
Join as an active or associate member. BCRQ offers free training to members.
MAKE A DONATION
Donate via GoGive, Bank Transfer or PayPal.
All donations of $2.00 and over are tax deductible.
Sadly, we’ve had yet another recent netting rescue.![]()
Zok was rescued out of a net strung across a dam at a small lettuce farm. They thought it would keep ducks away.![]()
Zok was called in to us by a caring person who saw him from a back street. To rescue him, we needed to enter the farm. Huge thanks to the rescue team at RSPCA QLD who came to assist, as they can enter when we can’t. Tragically another bat lost its life in the net.![]()
Zok has injuries to his mouth and cheeks from desperately trying to chew himself free. We’re delighted to say they are healing nicely. We plan to replace the unsafe netting with Hailguard for this farmer.![]()
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If you see a bat on its own in the daytime, it needs help. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THE BAT and give us a call immediately on 0488 228 134 for Brisbane and surrounds, or your local wildlife rescue in other regions.
While most of our netting rescues involve fruit trees, hapless Henrietta had somehow become entangled in the netting covering a chicken coop. She was well trussed up and had no hope of escaping the net by herself, so we are grateful that the property owners contacted us for help. ![]()
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Fortunately, Henrietta did not suffer any major injury. After spending some time in care, she was transferred to a large outdoor aviary to complete her recovery. Here she is being inspected by Seraphina, the self-appointed aviary receptionist and beautician. Henrietta was covered in the crusty remnants of the previous night’s dinner, which clearly did not meet acceptable standards! Seraphina went to work and soon had Henrietta looking clean and presentable to meet the other batty residents.![]()
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Wide aperture mesh (i.e. with holes large enough that a finger can easily poke through) has the potential to trap wings and limbs. Please choose recommended wildlife-safe alternatives such as Fruitsafe, Vegenet or Hailguard. These products are generally available from Bunnings. ![]()
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If you see a bat on its own in the daytime, it needs help. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THE BAT and give us a call immediately on 0488 228 134 for Brisbane and surrounds, or your local wildlife rescue in other regions.
Large aperture fruit tree netting is a dangerous hazard for wildlife. Dear little Anne is only five months old and became entangled in large aperture netting over a kumquat tree. Being trapped and vulnerable like this was not only terrifying for her but it was a very cold night and she couldn’t wrap her wings around her body to keep herself warm.![]()
Anne has some damage to her wing which we hope she’ll recover from.![]()
Please only use netting that you can’t poke your little finger through to protect your fruit trees. Brands include Hailguard, Fruit Saver and VegeNet. By using them, you can protect your fruit and also keep wildlife safe.![]()
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If you see a bat on its own in the daytime, it needs help. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THE BAT and give us a call immediately on 0488 228 134 for Brisbane and surrounds, or your local wildlife rescue in other regions.
You met baby Clementine, our very out-of-season orphaned black flying fox, last week. Here she is enjoying the nectar in some native flowers, Queensland Blue Gum, eucalyptus tereticornis. We don’t have to teach baby flying foxes that blossom is good stuff! It comes naturally to them. Their love of nectar is what makes flying foxes important as pollinators of our large forest trees. Like bees of the night, flying foxes pollinate trees that many other species rely on for their survival: species like koalas, hollow-nesting birds and countless others. Thanks, Clementine. ❤![]()
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If you see a bat on its own in the daytime, it needs help. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THE BAT and give us a call immediately on 0488 228 134 for Brisbane and surrounds, or your local wildlife rescue in other regions.
Lydia is a small, cute girl who was out foraging one night and became trapped on barbed wire that was invisible to her in the dark. She’s one of the lucky ones whose injuries will heal with time and will be released. Barbed wire is horribly cruel for nocturnal wildlife and should never be used for security or farm fencing.![]()
Lydia also injured her mouth and lips trying to bite herself free. Luckily, that damage will also heal but what an awful ordeal for a youngster just starting out in life. ☹![]()
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If you see a bat on its own in the daytime, it needs help. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THE BAT and give us a call immediately on 0488 228 134 for Brisbane and surrounds, or your local wildlife rescue in other regions.
“I’ll just lick the sweet smoothie first and come back for the fruit later.”![]()
Isla is eating for two so we’ll forgive her. Isla, a black flying fox, was rescued on an island in Moreton Bay and popped on a ferry to be met by our rescuer. She had some small holes in her wing membrane and some scratches. A check by the fabulous vet team at RSPCA QLD found more puncture wounds in Isla’s shoulder, confirming our suspicion that she was likely a victim of a free roaming cat.![]()
Cats are skilled hunters and do untold damage to wildlife if allowed to roam free. Cats that are kept indoors live longer, happier and healthier lives, so it’s a win for all to keep cats inside.![]()
Isla is continuing her recovery in a flight aviary. We expect she’ll be ready for release well before her baby is due.![]()
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If you see a bat on its own in the daytime, it needs help. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THE BAT and give us a call immediately on 0488 228 134 for Brisbane and surrounds, or your local wildlife rescue in other regions.
Vivien is a lovely black flying fox who’s about 4-5 months old. She was found hanging alone in a tree the morning after a very windy night. Vivien was in pain and a check by the wildlife vet team at RSPCA QLD showed she had a belly full of gas. Thanks so much for your care and treatment for this. She’s doing very well now.![]()
Whether it was being buffeted by the high winds or her painful tummy that caused Vivien to need rescuing, while she remains in care, we will ensure she is never hungry again. 😉![]()
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If you see a bat on its own in the daytime, it needs help. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THE BAT and give us a call immediately on 0488 228 134 for Brisbane and surrounds, or your local wildlife rescue in other regions.
Bradley is a very lucky bat. He was feeding in a tree near a wooden paling fence and got his leg stuck in the gap between palings.![]()
The resident knows the bats come to feed each night and enjoys seeing them. She called as soon as she saw Bradley was stuck. Thank you!![]()
Paling fences are a dangerous hazard for flying foxes. We don’t post about them much because, sadly, the leg is often badly broken and the best we can do is have the bat humanely and peacefully put to rest.![]()
In this case, the wonderful resident called immediately and our rescuer attended very quickly, so Bradley only has a large graze on his leg.![]()
He’s feeling so great we see him flying around the rehab aviary.![]()
Not yet, Bradley! When your wound is healed you can be a wild bat again. ❤![]()
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If you see a bat on its own in the daytime, it needs help. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THE BAT and give us a call immediately on 0488 228 134 for Brisbane and surrounds, or your local wildlife rescue in other regions.
The usual birthing season for black and grey-headed flying foxes is October to January. We occasionally rescue a baby born outside these months but it’s rare. So we were astounded that two baby black flying foxes were rescued last week who are both just three weeks old! We are raising one of these babies, Clementine, and a group in Coffs Harbour, the other.![]()
Clementine is a delight and her carer is already smitten. ❤![]()
Thank you very much to the two school students who found her on a footpath and safely bundled her into a sweater without touching her then worked on getting her help. Thanks also for her sweet name.![]()
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If you see a bat on its own in the daytime, it needs help. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THE BAT and give us a call immediately on 0488 228 134 for Brisbane and surrounds, or your local wildlife rescue in other regions.
It is not unusual for us to have a small number of orphans in care during the winter months. Here are Diva and Domino, two of the ten little red flying-fox orphans that our members are currently hand-raising. Domino (5 weeks of age) is shy and well-behaved compared to his ‘sister’ who is two weeks older. Diva is a hyperactive busybody who thinks she has far more important things to do than taking a nap! When they are old enough, Domino and Diva will join the other orphans in a large flight aviary to dehumanize, socialize and practice their flying skills prior to release.![]()
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Birthing season for little red flying-foxes is around April/May - which is about six months later than other flying-fox species which birth in spring. The reddish-brown colouring of little reds is quite distinctive. They are also relatively small. Adult little reds weigh around 4-500gms/14-17ozs, which is approximately half the weight of the other three Australian flying-fox species.![]()
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If you see a bat on its own in the daytime, it needs help. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THE BAT and give us a call immediately on 0488 228 134 for Brisbane and surrounds, or your local wildlife rescue in other regions.