About Fly By Night Bat Clinic

In early 2014, the bats of Melbourne suffered terribly.

A week of sweltering temperatures over 40oc killed thousands of these precious animals, and we were compelled to help.

What we saw that week was heart breaking. Gut wrenching. Bats scattered on the ground for as far as we could see. Dead and dying, panting, flapping. Pups screaming for their mothers, mothers calling for their pups. So many closing their eyes and dying from sheer heat exhaustion. We frantically ran from one to another offering water by hand, which many desperately accepted.

And that was when we found him- our tiny Caesar. He was the tiny premature bat who we found whimpering under his dead mum, sweltering hot but alive. This little bat stole our hearts, charged our spirits and started Fly By Night.

Bats are majestically mysterious and fiercely intelligent. Most people will only see their silent silhouettes in the evening sky, and won’t know that they are as intelligent as dogs, and just as inquisitive too. They form close family bonds, regenerate our forests and perhaps most importantly, are classified as a threatened species here in Melbourne- at risk of extinction.

We are deeply committed to helping these native animals and will provide them dedicated rescue, care and rehabilitation to get them back to the wild, where they belong.

Since little Caesar, we have welcomes hundreds of flying foxes through our doors. Young, old, sick, exhausted, broken and terrified. Many of them have since gone home, to continue their lives and probably flying over us every night.

But we can’t do it alone. We are volunteers who work ‘day jobs’ and dedicate our every spare minute to these animals. With the help of the wildlife loving community, we can continue to be where these bats need us. And we promise them, as we promised Caesar that very first night, that we will be there.

Because without them, we lose everything.