This rescue was done on New Year's Eve, 2021.
This rescue was called in as a flying-fox on the ground, dragging its legs. I phoned the MOP to find more details, and to let them know that bats can't stand up, so any bat on the ground will be mostly dragging its legs, but I suspected this bat would have a spinal injury.
It was a total surprise when I got there, to find out that it was a Ringtail Possum, who was dragging his legs and entire lower body across the path.
The MOP thought he was a sugar glider, and wrongly thought sugar gliders were called flying-foxes, hence the misunderstanding.
At one stage during our phone call, I asked her if the bat could climb away anywhere if it decided not to hang around, in case I needed ladder and poles and nets. She said - it's not a bat, it's a flying-fox. (this should have been my first clue that all wasn't as suspected). I just said - all flying-foxes are bats; not all bats are flying-foxes. She sounded sceptical. She was actually right - he wasn't a bat, but he also wasn't a flying-fox.
He had a fracture in his thoracic spine, so I took him to Vicky the vet nurse (we LOVE Vicky the vet nurse), for his final care.
Give that the MOP thought he was a flying-fox, I called him Zorro (Fox, in Spanish).
At the end, Vicky and I were talking about an email from Volodymyr, who sent a donation to me this week, and in his note, he said he wanted to thank Meg, Mandi, Maggie, the Princess, Adrian the vet, and Vicky the vet nurse (we LOVE Vicky the vet nurse). So I was telling her about this.
I love how Vicky the vet nurse (we LOVE Vicky the vet nurse) cradled this possum gently and supported him as she took him inside. She's also as gentle with our batties. She shows great respect for all our wildlife.
She also takes my syringes and needles for safe disposal; I thank this practice for doing this for us for free.
RIP little Zorro.
