Grant to help Bella the Bat to Fly Free
Between a percentage of sales from the November exhibition in Pollyanna’s gallery, donations and the sales of prize draw tickets, The Foundation is proud to have given a grant of £5000.00 to purchase materials to build a bat rehabilitation facility at Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue.
Harper Asprey is an emergency wildlife hospital based in Surrey, that works 24/7, 365 days a year. They rescue, rehabilitate and release our native wildlife, from tiny dormice to the majestic deer – and everything in between.
They are a small charity, providing a unique and vital service to their local community, supporting the general public, local vets, fire services, police and the RSPCA. They are solely funded by donations from the public and grants such as this one. They always aim to carry out their motto : ‘Rescue, Rehabilitate, Release, Refine and Educate’.
Harper Asprey contacted the Foundation to ask for help to build a bat rehabilitation facility on-site with the objective of being able to increase the number of bats they take in and get their rescued bats fit to fly before they are released. They had outgrown their current facility and were having to restrict their intake of bats. As part of the rehabilitation process, it is essential to be able to see bats fly, and to make sure they are fit and strong. Bat rehabilitation can be lengthy and some are confined because of their injuries. It essential to get them fully fit as they feed, drink and keep safe using their wings.
Every year, they rehabilitate and care for around 60 bats; their last remaining girl of 2023 is called Bella, a long-eared brown bat who is not fit enough to leave them yet. This new large safe area will enable her to practice her skill so she can join her family when fit. The new facility will increase the chances Bella and all the rescued bats have when they go back into the wild.
With the new rehabilitation facility, Harper Asprey will be able to take in more bats and release them back into the wild. One-third of Britain’s most highly threatened mammal species are bats so it is vital that they are able to rehabilitate these beautiful creatures. There are 17 species of bats in the UK, ranging from tiny Pipistrelles, to the largest Serotine, so it is important to make sure the run is large enough and secure enough for all species. Long-eared bats like Bella have been recorded as living for up to 22 years Bats are very agile and feed on the wing, on perches and in hedgerows, therefore it is essential they are great pilots when they are released.
The ultimate goal of this project – ‘Let’s Get Bella the Bat Fit to Fly’ is to enable the rehabilitation and release process of all their rescued bats to be more smooth and efficient, ultimately allowing the rescue centre to save more wildlife. The new unit will reduce the amount of stress on the bats whilst they are in rehabilitation and decrease the amount of time a bat spends in care before it is released It will also Increase the amount of bats Harper Asprey are able to take in during the year from 60 to 100. For future Vets and Veterinary Interns, it will provide valuable experience in the rehabilitation of bats.
This project is a one-time undertaking, however the impact it will have long-term will be extremely significant for Harper Asprey, but most notably for Bella and all the other bats!
Find out more about their work at www.hawr.co.uk.
And Of course Pollyanna painted bats! This bewitching image (above left) is featured in the book A Brush with Wildlife alongside stories of the bats she cared for in her own wildlife sanctuary which she ran from her home in Derbyshire for 15 years.
We know that Pollyanna would be to pleased to know that her Foundation is continuing to raise funds for these fascinating but often overlooked creatures of the night.