A tiny baby bat crying for its missing mother in a suburban tree sparked a major rescue operation involving the SES, fire officers, wildlife carers and a tree surgeon.
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Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) volunteer Louise O’Brien said the rescue of the flying fox, she named Frankie as it was in a tree in Franklin Street, took many hours.
Mrs O’Brien said after being alerted on Friday night she called the SES who worked for a couple of hours with ladders and ropes but could not reach the bat.
She next called the fire brigade. “The came and said they could squirt it or hose it down but I said “No, you’ll break its little fingers.”
Mrs O’Brien said she had to leave the bat overnight.
“It was the most horrible thing to walk way, it leave it crying, and worry about an owl or a cat getting it.”
Next morning she called Orange Tree Surgeon Bruce Smith. He cut down the branch the bat was clinging to and bagged both the bat and the branch.
David Fitzsimons
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
