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Did you grow up associating bats with vampires? Or thinking they were dirty, scary, or gross?

Those were the things I heard when I was growing up. But this video might just change your mind. These nine baby flying foxes look almost like kittens, except for their wings. Trish Wimberley, the woman in the video, works tirelessly to raise orphaned baby bats and to eventually return them to the wild. It’s as tiring a job as mothering a human baby and she often is up all night looking after her bat babies.

But it’s a job she wouldn’t give up for the world. And I can see why, being a mama is always a rewarding job in itself. But these little bats are also vital for the Australian ecosystem, and returning them to the wild will help keep everything in balance. You can be a part of the good things Wimberley and the others at the Australian Bat Clinic, check out their site or find them on Facebook.

Bats are an adorable and vital part of the ecosystem. But as much as they may look like kittens, you should still never approach one you see in the wild. Bats can carry diseases which are transmissible to humans, and you may frighten them unduly if you try to touch them. Wimberley can help them hands on, but for most of us, we should show them our love from a respectful distance.