Harold is an adult male Grey-Headed Flying-Fox who was reported to be hanging low in a bush after trying to climb a tree and falling and climbing and falling. As is often the case, the instructions were fairly vague. Near the playground on the right near the Tram Sheds. Since there are 3 playgrounds near the Tram Sheds and "on the right" is dependent on which way you're facing at the time, and the MOP wasn't answering the phone, I actually didn't think I had a lot of chance in finding this bat.
I managed to find the right playground first go, then since nobody seemed to know about the bat, I wandered vaguely beating bushes.
Then as I was about to turn round to go to one of the other playgrounds some of the MOPs who were still there having a picnic, approached me and asked if I was after the bat...
I don't think I'd have found him otherwise.
It makes me realise how great it is when people do give good location directions.
Like - facing the Tram Sheds, just before the children's playground under the sandstone cliff, in the bushes with yellow flowers at the base of the cliff, 200 metres back from the tram sheds. Now that would have been an easier find.
Anyway, I finally located him.
Unfortunately his story didn't end well. By the time I got him home he totally crashed, was almost unconscious and breathing really badly, and was nearly dead. He died before I could even take him to the vet. I suspect he had massive internal bleeding from a collision. He also seemed to have a head injury.
RIP Harold, you handsome boy in your prime.
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