World's Oldest Bat Living The Good Life At Texas Animal Sanctuary

Meet the newest animal internet celebrity that lives right here in the Lone Star state. Statler is a 33-year-old Indian flying fox who lives in the geriatric ward of the Bat World Sanctuary in Texas. Bat World is located in Weatherford, Texas about 30 minutes from Fort Worth. Bat World Sanctuary cares for bats who have been orphaned, mistreated, or can't be released into the wild according to the website.

Statler had a rough life before he called the sanctuary his home. Statler was born in 1987 in a zoo in South Carolina, according to the Huffington Post. The bat must have had a rough life before he was sent to the sanctuary in 2018, but no one knows exactly what he went through. The mammal arrived with a few scars and was even missing an eye.

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Since Statler arrived at the sanctuary, he's been living the good life being pampered by zookeepers. Statler is the oldest bat living in captivity and can no longer fly on his own. Instead, zookeepers assist Statler with taking daily flights around the facility. Statler gets to lay comfortably in his caretaker's hands and he flaps his wings to simulate soaring through the air. The activity is not only stimulating for the bat, it's absolutely adorable to watch. The sanctuary began recording Statler's flights and he has since gone viral online.

While the other bats enjoy spending time by themselves, Statler loves spending time with his caretakers and being around people. You can see more videos of Statler on the World Bat Sanctuary Facebook page, Instagram, and through their website. Help support the Bat World Sanctuary by donating on their website or purchasing some Bat World merchandise.