This spectacled flying fox enjoyed being lushed with gentle attention at the Tolga Bat Hospital in Atherton, Queensland, wiggling her ears in glee. It is important for carers to rehabilitate orphaned or injured bats as they pollinate local trees.

Batzilla the Bat carer Denise Wade told Storyful: "So named for the stunning straw-coloured eye rings and responsible for pollination and the seed dispersal of at least 26 tree species, ‘Speccie’ populations are in serious trouble and they have recently been nominated for an upgrade to endangered status.

“Producing only one baby per year, populations are slow to recover and spectacled flying-foxes face attrition by entrapment on barbed wire, large aperture fruit tree netting, cyclones, habitat loss, pythons and paralysis ticks.” Credit: Batzilla the Bat via Storyful