It’s no mystery to anyone that I love bats. I collect bat memorabilia. I have bat shaped hooded blankets and towels. I have bat pot-holders, bat spatulas, bat dishes, bat pillows, and even a batcock. I often wish I was a bat. So you can imagine how destroyed I was to learn that thousands of bats were dying in Australia due to a heat-wave.
Recently, the eastern coast of Australia has been receiving some periods of extended high-heat, in excess of 45 degrees Celcius. Flying foxes are a tropical species. They’re used to sustained high temperatures with high humidity, temps which rarely go over 35 degrees C. What they don’t cope with is dry heat over 40 degrees for more than one day, which is what has been happening. The video above shows the devestation to just ONE colony of bats as a result of this heat. Colonies in Adelaide, Melbourne, and New South Wales have been the hardest hit so far.
Wildlife rehab rescuers were on the move, but the scene was grim. One colony of bats was cut off due to bush fire, was inaccessible and badly affected with no chance of human assistance. Total loss of life count is hard to calculate for sure, but we do have the following numbers:
- Adelaide – 100 dead
- Bomaderry – 3000 dead
- Central Coast – unknown death-toll
- Melbourne – 30+ dead
In less than 24 hours after leaning of the heat-stress bat crisis, I had rallied artists and crafters and began the IndieGoGo campaign Bats In Need. I have been in direct contact with rehab carers working with the bats ever since, and in less than two days we met our goal of $2000. When I started the campaign, I was afraid no one would care about these beautiful bats. Clearly, I was wrong. We’re now on a stretch-goal, hoping to double our initial $2000 up to $4000 by the end of the two-week campaign. If we meet that, the second stretch goal is $6500.
I knew it wasn’t appropriate for me to put sextoys up as perks on the campaign, but I really wanted to get all of you involved in this too, and put my own quirky little spin on it. And so I bring you my very FIRST giveaway! Huge thanks to Early To Bed and Crystal Delights for contributing prizes.
What can you win? Well obviously I have to give away a Batcock! Also known as the Vixen Creations LeoWeenie, this one is coming straight from me to you. I got two of them when they came out, because I wanted to have one that was pristine and new in it’s little Vixen tube for ever-and-ever. I’m donating the trophy Batcock for the bats. Isn’t that fitting? Also in the prize-pool is a BadBat Cockring. It’s cute, it’s batty, it’s body-safe, and I couldn’t resist. Lastly there’s a special edition Bats In Need plug from Crystal Delights. Even I haven’t seen this yet, but if there’s anything I know about Crystal Delights, it’s that it’s going to be gorgeous. The only one of it’s kind, I’m just as excited as I’m sure you are!
So here’s the deal- you don’t have to enter your real name or login with FaceBook, you can use your email address instead. Remember that this is for charity, not just free sextoys, so entries into the raffle are all associated with spreading the word about Bats In Need and/or supporting the campaign. Please don’t be a cheater, it makes the bats sad. You must be over 18 to win, but you don’t have to live in the USA- I’m pitching in to make sure everyone can be a part of this.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
