Batman

As I am coming out of our main door, I see a beautiful black and white cat. Hey, Cat! I say. You strayed into our garden. Anything interesting today? The cat saunters away. That's the first a cat enters the property. I continue my way to the garage and voila! I find the reason for the cat's visit: A baby bat. Its fur is glossy, black with a white bib-like colouration below its neck. It is scaredy-scared. Oh my, I think. Too much watching of Animal Planet. I remember Steve Irwin and his gang - they throw some cloth over an animal that's being rescued. So I do the same. I run back to the kitchen and find a clean kitchen cloth. Back in the garage, I watch as the bat flaps its wings. It is perched on top of the ladder. Then it is off the ladder and swooshes by me, bangs against the low garden wall, and drops down to a flowering bush. It struggles, its wings caught in the tiny branches of the plant. So, I throw the cloth on top of its head and fish it out of the small gap of concrete and soil and branches. Steve, on one of Animal Planet's show, said that the cloth and darkness would calm an animal down. Since they can't see a thing.

I hold it up in front of me. To my untrained eye, it seems no bones are broken.The baby bat has very sharp fangs, very white fangs. He also makes creaking sounds, but does not move. He looks me in the eye. I know bats carry rabies, they are the rabies-carrier in Sri Lanka, but I put that thought aside. What should I do? I ask myself. If I let nature takes its course, it will mean he will be lunch fare of our neighbourhood cats. What to do? (A very common Sri Lankan expression)

I take it inside, still wrapped in the kitchen cloth. I see my red plastic laundry basket standing by the refrigerator. It is just right. I lower the bundle carefully into the basket. It creaks again, sharp animal creaks. I bound up the stairs, to our bedroom, change clothes, and bat and I are off. Off to the vet!

The trishaw bashes its way to Staples Street, a 30-minute ride on paved roads, some parts holey. The ride is jarring, the bat is creaking. After a few queries on direction, the trishaw stops in front of PetVCare, which is right next to Hilton Colombo. The vet takes one look and disappears into the part of the clinic where beds are set up. He comes back with a needleless plastic syringe. He says it's dextrose. The bat takes it happily in its mouth and begins to suckle. He is definitely parched, hungry, too, I think. Poor baby! The bat drinks his second dextrose syringe, as we watch fascinated. I notice the smiles on the faces of the humans milling around the basket.The vet says he does not have the facility needed for taking care of baby bats. He tells me to keep the bat for a few days, to let it go after a week or so.

Back at home, I log on to look for articles or tips on taking care of baby fruit bats. I find what I need. It means a lot of work, sleepless nights, but I decide to have a go on looking after the little one. I check the fridge for any fruit juice. Apple juice, just what I need. I peer into the basket, move the cloth around til the bat is hanging upside down. He settles for sleep.I remove the empty syringe from the bat's grip, then I put a small pillow over the basket opening.