Lucas, an endangered Rodrigues Island fruit bat, had a most unusual birth: he arrived via C-section. On January 11, 2017, animal care staff noticed that his mother was behaving abnormally—she was having significant difficulties with labor and giving birth. She was transferred to the Safari Park’s Paul Harter Veterinary Medical Center, where veterinarians determined the pup would not be able to be delivered normally. They ended up performing the first-ever emergency C-section on a Rodrigues fruit bat. Unfortunately, the mother did not survive; but Lucas was strong and had a good chance.

To ensure his survival, the animal care staff set up an intensive routine to care for Lucas. Initially, he stayed in a controlled incubator set between 85 and 89 degrees Fahrenheit, with 75 percent humidity—mimicking this bat species’ native habitat. The staff fed him inside the incubator every two hours around the clock. Following every feeding, he was bathed with a damp cotton ball, dried off, and wrapped in a warm blanket, to mimic his mother’s cradling wings.

All that TLC paid off—Lucas thrived, learned how to fly, and was able to rejoin the bat colony.