Blossom bats are extremely rare. Blossom bats are nectar specialists which feed and groom themselves with the use of their long tongues. Blossom bats are known to hover in front of flowers as they forage and are important pollinators of many rainforest plants. Blossom bats are currently under threat due to loss of feeding and roosting habitat from clearing of forests for agriculture and housing.

In over 18 years of doing bat rescues, Louise Saunders from Bat Conservation & Rescue Qld in Australia, had never come across a Blossom bat. They are the smallest bat in the world and lead very secretive lives. Recently a baby Australian bat called the Blossom bat came into her care following a suspected cat attack.

During her time with bat rescuer Louise Saunders, this little Blossom bat who was named Blossom, recovered and was eventually released back into the wild.

Blossom was still a baby when she came into Louise's care. She was fed a nectar mix recipe and the occasional milk formula which is fed to other baby flying foxes. She gradually gained weight and began to practice flying during the night. Often Blossom would dart in and out of rooms and even hover above Louise as she slept before retiring to her little brown bag at dawn.


Louise summed up her experience with little Blossom this way: "It was the best bat experience of my life without a doubt and the decision to release her was a terrible one for me, but it was the right decision for Blossom. With banana, banksia, melaleuca and eucalypt flowers, and a whole new family to catch up with I’m sure she won’t be missing me like I miss her."

Blossom was recently released on Macleay Island in Qld, Australia.