Rescue, rehabilitation and realease of bats in Northern Australia.

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Located in northern Queensland, in the spectacularly scenic Atherton Tablelands, this bat hospital rescues, rehabilitates and releases several species of native Australian bats. Bats have long been the victims of negative public opinion, and this coupled with loss a habitat, are the root causes of many problems facing their conservation. The hospital dedicates its efforts to rescuing sick, injured and orphaned bats and treats all four species of Australian flying foxes, including Spectacled flying foxes and Little Red flying foxes, Tube-Nosed Fruit bats, and even a few microbats such as such as Nyctophilus and 3 species of Freetails. Common problems seen at the centre include tick paralysis, injuries from entanglement in barbed wire fencing, and bat pups that have been orphaned for a variety of reasons. The best time of year to volunteer is October to February when hundreds of flying foxes with tick paralysis come into care and up to 500 orphans are being reared. World class facilities house the bats while in care, and a handful of permanent resident flying foxes act as ambassadors for the educational program. This organization believes that education is the best antidote for the prevalence of poor public attitudes towards bats and flying foxes in particular and offers educational programs through their visitor centre.