For whatever reason, some animals receive negative, sometimes unfair reputations in the public eye. Bats are a perfect example. While many people are afraid of the little guys, they actually are quite interesting and helpful creatures. They hunt insects, use echolocation to “see” in the dark and generally love to eat fruit, not people as some would fear, according to the Nature Conservancy. They can even help with cross-pollination because of their diet habits.
Although bats shouldn’t be kept as pets, it’s fine to enjoy them from afar. This week’s Instagram page, the Australian Bat Clinic (@ausbatclinic), with more than 8,000 followers, is an account run by a clinic that provides health care for sick or injured bats.
Quality of Pictures
Many of the pictures on this account seem to be taken with a nice camera, which allows a close-up and high-res view of the little clinic inhabitants. For those who are afraid of bats, maybe seeing a close-up of one of their cute faces could help curb that fear. Sometimes they really do just look like little dogs with wings.
A majority of the pictures are “upside-down” in the sense that the bat is coming from the top of the picture, which is fitting because bats spend a lot of time hanging from branches upside-down in the first place. In addition to these photos of bats lounging around, you’ll be greeted with adorable bats in tiny blankets and baby bats feeding out of tiny bottles. One of my favorite pictures shows a bat happily chomping away at a slice of watermelon way bigger than his head.
Rate of Posts
The account seems to post a few times per week, but just recently finished a five-week hiatus for whatever reason. Regardless, the posts seem to be coming back and, hopefully, there will be more where that came from.
Cuteness of Pet
As said above, bats can seem scary and alien from afar, but when observed up close it can be fascinating to see how they operate, and adorable to watch them eat slices of fruit. There are many different types of bats, and you’ll see a good mix of them in this account. It’s unfortunate that it’s unhealthy for them to be kept as pets, but the next best thing is being able to see them be treated with care in a facility. It’s sad that these bats are injured or sick in the first place, but seeing them cuddled up with each other or in tiny blankets is a heartwarming sight.
Rating: 4/5
I wish this account posted more often and posted more videos, as most of the posts are simply images. Regardless, it’s worth a follow for bat lovers or even those who may be questioning their fear of these furry little winged animals.
