Scott Heinrichs calls his organization the “Flying Fox Conservation Fund” (FFCF) but is it really conservation? Would a true bat conservationist keep bats in his basement, breed them, pull youngsters off of their mothers and sell them as pets?

Unfortunately, this appears to be the real story behind the Flying Fox Conservation Fund. And what Scot Heinrichs, owner of “Flying Fox Conservation Fund, likely doesn’t tell you is that Egyptian fruit bats bond for life; families stay together for life in the wild. Imagine having your 6 year old ripped from your arms and sold to a stranger, never to be seen again –  that is the equivalent of what happens when bat pups are pulled off of their mothers and sold for an average of $800 to $2,500 each. Plus, the buyer is likely not told that the “pet bat” they just bought WILL IN ALL LIKELIHOOD BE DEAD WITHIN A YEAR.

One of the unfortunate babies that FFCF ripped away from its mother to be sold as a pet. Click to enlarge

When you look at the Flying Fox Conservation Fund Google page you see that it’s located in Chicago in a home, a “two-flat” home, not a spacious facility where bats are allowed freedom to fly and enjoy quality of life. Is this what you would expect from an organization that calls itself a “conservation fund”? Not only that, according to their very own “Flying Fox Conservation Fund” website, they share this “two-flat” space with all of these animals: “Sloth, Fennec Fox, Armadillo, Kinkajou, Civet, Fruit Bat, Chinchilla, Ferret, Bearded Dragon, Crested Gecko, Boa Constrictor, Tree Frog, Pancake Tortoise, Tarantula, Hissing Roaches, Walking Sticks, Solomon Island Parrot, Lion Head Rabbit”

Lastly, this Flying Fox Conservation Fund photo speaks volumes. This poor, heavily pregnant fruit bat is being held up by her delicate wings by Scott Heinrichs. If this doesn’t scream total disrespect for an animal the Flying Fox Conservation Fund touts to “conserve” then what does?

Scott Heinrichs holds a pregnant bat up by her delicate wings

The “Flying Fox Conservation Fund” is no better than the “Zoological Wildlife Conservation Center” in taking the highest dollar possible for bats at the unsuspecting buyers expense- money wasted on an exotic pet that is doomed to die.

BUYER BEWARE

Also see:

Pet Bat Information
Rescue Echo (Lisa’s Creatures)
PetBat.net
Top Ten Worst Pets