Orphaned Flying Foxes in Geelong and Surrounds

Many of you know Layla as one of our local vet nurses. Layla also runs a wildlife shelter that cares for many native animals. This includes over 40 orphaned flying Fox pups, with more arriving every day. It also includes many adult and juvenile flying foxes that have been injured from being entangled in illegal fruit netting.

Grey headed flying foxes are an endangered species. They play a vital role in dispersing seeds and pollinating flowering plants and are crucial to keeping native forests healthy. At the moment there is a critical food shortage for our flying foxes and we are having huge numbers of orphans coming in to care. They require specialist care and handlers must be vaccinated so there are very few carers in Victoria.

The good news is that with an amazing team in Victoria, the success rate of raising and releasing these sky puppies is exceptionally high. Ongoing monitoring of colonies show that pups raised by human carers go on to live long and happy lives in the wild.

The bad news is that with no financial support, the costs of raising this huge volume of orphans is crippling. Layla’s shelter is completely self funded. All the money for these animals comes directly out of her pockets. And with the huge expenses she is facing with this influx of babies, she desperately needs our help.

Caring for these babies is a huge undertaking. Layla is having to bottle feed them all 5 times daily. Shes doing many loads of laundry each day, many bottle feeds, constant enclosure cleaning and fruit preparation.

You can help her by donating! Every donation counts, no matter how small. If you can’t donate, please share our fundraiser. Together we can contribute to saving this endangered species