Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Ukraine, Animals, World News
Hannah Smith
A group of Ukrainian animal conservationists who rescued more than 300 bats following the Russian invasion have set them free.
Volunteers from the Bats Ukraine animal charity were forced into action after Russia launched its war in Ukraine more than a month ago, fearing that the animals would be disturbed from their hibernation if they weren't kept in safe conditions.
The bats had been rescued from a building site in Dnipro, Ukraine's fourth largest city, and were transported to Kharkiv in east Ukraine, which has come under heavy shelling from Russian forces over the past four weeks.
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Still in their hibernation season, the conservationists had to work out how to maintain the cool and dark conditions the bats needed to ensure they weren't woken early.
"Immediately after we left the office our city was being heavily bombarded. But we are safe and alive, and took care of our bats," the Bats Ukraine team explained, revealing that the animals were kept in the kitchen refrigerators of volunteers until it came time for them to wake up from hibernation.
"Now the warm weather has finally come, we are releasing groups of bats each evening this week – they will easily find a way to the nearest forests."
In a video shared by the charity, a group of the bats was seen flying away as air raid sirens sounded in the distance, with the volunteers stressing that the Russian invasion was threatening the natural habitats of bats and other animals living in the cocuntry.
"No living creature is safe now in this part of Ukraine. But for our bats, it is the best option - to fly and to live," they said.
Bats Ukraine - which is the only bat conservation charity in Ukraine - has rescued more than 3,000 hibernating bats this past winter, with a dedicated group of volunteers, vets and biologists working to help ensure the survival of the nocturnal animals.
After waking from their hibernation the refrigerated bats were fed by volunteers to ensure they were strong enough to be released back into the wild.
According to the charity, a number of residents in Kharkiv and other cities have found themselves sharing basements and other underground shelters with hibernating bats as they take cover from Russian bombardments, with several sharing photos of themselves with their new unexpected roommates.
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