• Wildlife Rescue Cork (WRC) is a registered charity (RCN: 20205803). WRC was set up “to rescue, rehabilitate injured or orphaned wildlife in Cork and surrounding counties”, and with the sole purpose of releasing them back into the wild once successfully recovered. All our actions are geared towards these goals. We are 100% run by volunteers •
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• Bats •
• BAT REHABILITATION IRELAND – are experts in all things bat related. If you have found an injured bat, please phone 0857219400 for help •
• Bats in Ireland •
• All 9 Irish bat species are protected under national and EU legislation. It is illegal to tamper/remove/block up any bat roost without licence from the National Parks Wildlife Service •
• Bats eat thousands of mosquitos and small flying bugs and are an enormous benefit to have around your home •
• If you find a bat on the ground, or in an exposed area, especially during the day, it is likely to need help •
• Avoid handling any bat without gloves on. If it is necessary to remove the bat wear gardening or latex gloves and use a tea towel to gently lift the bat •
• If bats become cold, they go into a state called ‘Torpor’, which is like a mini hibernation and they will be unable to fly and will flop to the ground if you force them to fly. Bats need to warm up prior to flying and will vibrate their muscles to prepare to fly•
• Always get advice from Bat Rehabilitation Ireland and if it needs to go into care, please help the bat by driving to them and providing a donation towards its care. We are all volunteers and do this work for the sake of the animals. All costs go towards the care of the wildlife •
• If a bat needs to be rescued •
• Use a container such as a shoe box or similar to house the bat, with holes punched in the lid for air circulation. A cloth or light tea towel can be placed in the bottom or hanging from the side for the bat to cling to •
• Bats are really small and will squeeze out of containers that have holes too big. Many shoe boxes have big holes on the side that bats easily escape from. Make sure the container is secure but has adequate ventilation from the top. If using sticky tape to secure the box make sure the bat cannot get stuck to it from the inside •
• Move the bat into the shoe box by gently placing a thin cloth over it. Remove it slowly – DO NOT pull the bat quickly from where it is hanging, they have tiny toes and can be broken easily •
• Put a small shallow container such as a plastic milk bottle cap with a few drops of water into the box. It has to be shallow to ensure the bat doesn’t drown or get too wet and cold •
• Once captured and secure bring the bat to your local rehabilitation centre •
• All wildlife including bats can only be kept by people who have licences issued by the National Parks Wildlife Service •
• Bat pups •
• In the late spring/summer you may come across a small bat unable to fly. These pups may have been out on their first flight leaving the roost and unable to find their way back in or they might be orphaned and crawled out looking for mom. If you find a young or baby bat this should be treated as urgent as it will be extremely vulnerable to predation and the cold and cannot survive on its own. Both of the photos below show baby bats that needed urgent assistance. Please phone bat rehabilitation Ireland immediately for advice •
• Common injuries seen at WRC •
• Broken limbs or fingers, depending on the break and where it is, it is sometime possible to fix this. They need help immediately •
• Cat attack, just like birds the bacteria in a cat’s mouths is fatal to bats. If caught by a cat they need antibiotics ASAP from the vets. Ensure you speak to a rehabilitator who can help guide you to a suitable vet •
• Wing membrane tears from collisions or predation, depending on the severity of the tear this may heal in time but will need to stay in a rehabilitation centre for a few months •
• Dehydration due to being stuck somewhere or on the ground •
• Fly glue traps •
• Myths •
• Bats do not fly around hoping to get tangled in your hair to build a nest. They will avoid you at all costs and want nothing to do with you •
• There are no vampire bats in Ireland, none of our species will drink your blood. Insects are the only meal item they are interested in. There are only 3 species (out of 1200) that will drink blood, mostly from cattle. These guys are in central and south America •
• Bats are not blind; they have eyes and can see but use echolocation at night to track down some dinner •
• Bats are not pests, instead they provide free pest control to help keep flying insect populations under control •
