Help Feed Sick and Injured Wildlife

What began as an unusually busy winter has evolved into a season of remarkable recoveries, tiny miracles, and now recovery from nature's own overwhelming forces.

Building on the winter surprises like out-of-season doves, squirrels, juvenile Free-tailed bats, the recovering skinny African Green-pigeon, the quick-healing Hamerkop, and the zoomie-filled overwintering bats SquealerLiza and Hitch, the clinic has welcomed more extraordinary patients, many of them bats whose stories highlight incredible survival instincts and expert care.

A Tiny Bat’s Big Comeback – Rus's Remarkable Journey Picture a Little Free-tailed Bat caught in the jaws of a dog, one wing gripped on one side and a leg on the other—yet Rus survived the ordeal. Rushed to ReWild after the attack, he arrived with a badly fractured right wing (surgically pinned with a tiny metal pin) and a left leg stabilized by an external splint. In the early days, healing meant mostly eating and resting as his body mended. Now, Rus is exploring his hospital enclosure with increasing confidence, a testament to his toughness and the specialized care that gives him this second chance.

MickyNana – The Tiniest Fighter with Enormous Spirit Then came MickyNana, a Banana bat (Neoromicia nana) so small he weighs less than a paperclip. Discovered lying on the ground in a Phalaborwa garden, he tipped the scales at just 0.87 g—emaciated, dehydrated, and barely holding on. The ReWild team sprang into action with life-saving fluids and their specially formulated milk replacement for these fragile infants. In only 10 days, MickyNana has climbed to 1.24 g and is thriving. When fully grown, he'll reach about 3 g—lighter than a teaspoon of water—yet these miniature powerhouses devour mosquitoes, making them unsung heroes of bite-free evenings.

Tara – A Bat Pup's Second Chance Thanks to Quick Thinkers Another heartwarming arrival is Tara, a yellow-bellied house bat pup who fell from her roof colony onto a hard veranda. Her finders, Simon and Tarah, responded perfectly: they placed her high up in hopes mum would return (Tara called out all night, but sadly no reunion), then sought overnight vet care from Janine Barkas before safely transporting her to ReWild the next morning. Now in expert hands, this sweet baby receives round-the-clock feeds, warmth, and attentive care, growing stronger each day toward an eventual release.

Amid these uplifting tales of survival and growth, the team faced an unprecedented challenge: catastrophic flooding that far exceeded the region's average rainfall. In just 8 intense days, Phalaborwa received 772 mm of rain—nearly double the usual annual total—triggering a National State of Disaster declaration. Enclosures flooded, leaked, rotted, rusted, and grew mould, mildew, and mushrooms. Additional drains were hastily added to redirect water, emergency shelters built as structures failed, and precious animal feeds stored in the car (the driest spot available, even as roads washed away and water infrastructure collapsed). With no municipal water supply (pipes damaged, access roads impassable, tankers unable to reach), the team relied on bottled water and sheer determination.

Now, as the sun shines and things begin to dry, the focus shifts to repairs—rebuilding enclosures, replacing spoiled feed stocks, and addressing serious damage to the clinic building itself. Through it all, the ReWild team's commitment to every life, from the tiniest bat pup to the most battered survivor, remains unwavering. These stories—from Rus's comeback and MickyNana's weight-gain wins to Tara's safe haven and the flood response—illustrate the ongoing dedication and the profound difference made possible by community support in saving and rehabilitating wildlife.