A new experience

What an interesting summer this has turned out to be.

Sometimes a small part of me is hesitant in giving myself that final push to jump into opportunities like this. I'm glad this has turned out to be a heck of a great experience. I now appreciate what doctors, nurses and carers have to go through in taking care of sick and incapacitated beings.

I was fortunate enough to be able to volunteer with these precious little bats last week at the Gold Coast. Nearly all bats in the hospital are newly orphaned because of the huge storm that hit the area weeks ago. Some say that another big storm is approaching and adult bats leaving their colonies was a sure sign. But no one really knows why these baby bats were orphaned so suddenly.

So I guess that leaves the parenting job to humans.

Taking care of about 300 bats in total is CRAZY. Some of these bats are old enough to be kept in cages outside, and require less attention than the younger ones indoors. They eat fruit while the younger ones still need to be hand-fed every 4 hours. I still remember the strain on my feet from working around the clock preparing formula and washing tiny bottles and drippers. I tried keeping the dirty 'dishes' from piling at the sink as much as I could.

Then the fun part came in the form of other animals around the compound. There were pet dogs running around. Baby kangaroos hopping indoors (that gave me a brief 'wtf!' moment). I later learnt they were also brought in to be fed. There was also a carpet snake that I had spotted curled up on the top of a bat cage, peacocks that wandered on the verandah and some huge ducks that needed to be kicked for blocking the door. I also had the surprise of getting pecked by a duck named Dorothy. Not funny man, it was painful!

Ah, the tiny adventures of an ignorant city girl...

The task of caring for these bats was crazy.. and may I add, utterly exhausting. The other perks that came with this place, the people and other funky wildlife, definitely made the hectic days bearable. One night there was a black out for a few hours, and I never would have imagined preparing milk under a torchlight. I've met a few 'seasoned' volunteers who come in and tenderly cradle and feed each bat like a baby. It does feel rewarding after a while knowing that they'll grow and will be back in the wild soon.

Oh well, there's my little account at the Bat Hospital. I'm just really glad that the chance for this popped up at the right time and that it didn't just slip through my hands.