Warning as woman finds huge BAT floating in her toilet during heatwave

NewsUK News BRITS have been warned to be on the lookout after a woman discovered a large bat floating in her toilet during the recent heatwave. The creature, later nicknamed Louis, was discovered floating in the loo having flown in through an open window. The Serotine bat was found in the loo of a Sussex home Credit: SWNS The bat was name Louis after he was rescued from the toilet Credit: SWNS It was searching for water during the heatwave, according to experts. Weakened and dehydrated it was carefully rescued from the bathroom in Sussex using a garden trowel before being dried off. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Sussex Wildlife Trust’s Bluesky channel pointed the finder towards expert advice and she called Sussex Bat Group volunteers. The woman, who didn’t wish to be named, said: “I’ve learnt so much about bats from this wonderful and unsought encounter with a beautiful wild creature, including that so many are dehydrated and that the biggest single cause of injury is cats, who lurk outside their roosting places. Experts say the bat was desperately searching for water during the heatwave Credit: SWNS After being well looked-after and making a good recovery, Louis was released back into the wild Credit: SWNS “And that they can find refuge in the tiniest gaps under hung tiles and in other nooks and crannies on older buildings.” Louis was taken into the care of Sussex Bat Hospital’s Amanda Millar, who confirmed he was a Serotine – one of the UK’s larger bat species. Though thin and exhausted on arrival, a week of rest and a steady diet of mealworms restored him to full health and ready for a test flight, proving he was fit to return home. At dusk, Louis was driven back to the garden where he was found and released. Most read in The Sun He flew off over the honeysuckle and into the night, with a bat later spotted flitting across the darkening sky, possibly Louis finding his way home. Sussex Wildlife Trust is reminding residents that summer heatwaves can leave bats dehydrated and searching for water in unexpected places. Anyone who finds a bat in distress is encouraged to contact their local Bat Group for advice. 1 comment1