Meet Statler, The Adorable Elderly Fruit Bat That Enjoys Stimulated Flights & Sponge Baths
The elderly Indian flying fox, believed to be the oldest living bat in captivity, is spending his retirement in style at the ¡°geribatric ward¡± at Bat World Sanctuary in Weatherford, Texas.
We are all guilty of vilifying bats and have not given these magnificent creatures an ounce of empathy especially post the pandemic. But this adorable story of Statler, a 33-year-old bat will change your mind.
The elderly bat has just one eye, suffers from arthritis, and can no longer fly, and he is believed to be the oldest living bat in captivity. He is now an Internet sensation after caretakers at the Bat World Sanctuary in Weatherford, Texas posted a video of his adorable retirement routine.
The video is captioned: ¡°33-Year-Old Bat: I am the night. Caretakers: You are an adorable senior citizen.¡± In the video, a woman holds an elderly bat as he goes out for his daily ¡°flight¡± and it's super adorable!
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He simply spreads his wings, and his caretakers carry him around the facility for to make him active and also keep a bowl full of snacks for him to feed on!
33-Year-Old Bat: I am the night.
¡ª Sonya The Outsider (@sable_sonya) February 2, 2021
Caretakers: You are an adorable senior citizen. pic.twitter.com/pgxAa9JORG
¡°Statler loves to recline in a hammock where his favourite foods are close by,¡± the sanctuary reports. ¡°He gets arthritis medication every day as well as a warm facial and gentle brushes.¡±
Statler was born on April 28, 1987, at Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina. Statler apparently bounced around from zoo to zoo before landing at Bat World.
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The oldest known bat lived at least 41 years, but Statler¡¯s carers has a lot more years ahead of him and staff taking care of him are positive about that. On his birthday, April 28, 2020, the Sanctuary made him a ¡°Cake¡± which he can be seen enjoying in the video.