Flying fox pup saved after social media campaign rallies electricity company to retrieve him from high wires

PIPPIN the flying fox pup would not have survived a cold night on high power lines trapped in his dead mum’s pouch — but the power of social media led to Endeavour Energy jumping in to save him.

Pippin the baby flying fox was saved just in time from high power lines after his mother was electrocuted and died. Picture: Ian Svegovic

AN orphaned baby flying fox was saved in the nick of time from high power lines in Sadleir because of a persistent social media campaign.

Pippin was stranded on a cold night in his mother’s pouch after she was electrocuted and died on the wires.

Wildlife rescue organisation WIRES and its supporters appealed to Endeavour Energy on Twitter to save the injured pup, and carer Caroline Greco said a crew reached him just in time.

Ms Greco will now look after Pippin until he is ready to attend flight training with WIRES.

“He’s on five milk formula feeds a day, and he’s in an incubator because he can’t thermoregulate,” Ms Greco said.

“We also wrap him up in a little bat burrito, which mimics the way he would be in his mum’s pouch.”

Pippin the baby flying fox was saved just in time from high power lines after his mother was electrocuted and died. Picture: Ian Svegovic

The baby grey-headed flying fox now has a good chance of survival, and WIRES chief executive Leanne Taylor said time was a critical factor in his rescue.

“The grey-headed flying fox is a threatened species and it is great we can call on the resources of energy companies to assist rather than leave them to needlessly perish,” Ms Taylor said.

Ms Greco is a specialised bat carer, and she has 24,000 Instagram fans following her bat caring exploits — and her patchwork quilting.

“Most of my followers are American,” Ms Greco said.

“Australians don’t like bats because of old wives’ tales but posting pictures of them when they’re in care does change people’s opinions.”

Ms Greco’s mother Una said many people simply did not appreciate the usefulness of bats. “They’re the bees of the mammal world,” Mrs Greco said.

“They pollinate trees and flowers — if we didn’t have them to pollinate eucalyptus trees, we wouldn’t have koalas.”

Pippin the baby flying fox was saved just in time from high power lines after his mother was electrocuted and died. Picture: Ian Svegovic

Bat caring is not a cheap task, but the cost is inconsequential to Ms Greco.

“I stopped fulltime work due to health problems, and I thought I could do something to help with possums or wombats but then I found out I could look after bats,” she said.

“They’re one of the most expensive animals, it can cost about $200 for each one — but it’s totally worth it.”

To report an injured animal to WIRES, call 1300 094 737.

In other news

Fire crews rescue flying foxes.