It's so hot in Australia flying foxes are 'boiling alive'

Hundreds flying foxes have died a sweltering Australian heatwave.

It was a weekend where Sydney was declared the hottest city in the world, tarmac melted and bushfires raged.

As temperatures exceeded 45 degrees Celsius in Campbelltown, a metropolitan area in Sydney, a wildlife charity has estimated that around 400 flying foxes have died as a result of the surging heat.

Volunteers battled to save the lives of the flying foxes by trying to hydrate them.

The charity Help Save the Wildlife and Bushlands in Campbelltown shared pictures of their efforts.

On their Facebook page, the charity explained how Wires volunteers helped:

The efforts of our volunteers yesterday were both heroic and heartbreaking. In extremely trying conditions they worked tirelessly to provide subcutaneous fluids to the pups that could be reached & many lives were saved but sadly many were lost too.

Hundreds of mainly young flying-foxes were lost to the heat yesterday & the final count could run to thousands. 

A spokesperson told indy100:

Around 400 flying foxes are dead due to 45 degrees heat wave in Campbelltown nsw.

Wires volunteers were on the scene trying to treat as many flying foxes. It was a heartbreaking day for the Wires volunteers.

Sadly, help came too late for some of the bats.

Campbelltown colony manager Kate Ryan explained:

They basically boil. It affects their brain – their brain just fries and they become incoherent. 

It would be like standing in the middle of a sandpit with no shade.

You can find out more about Wires here.

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