About 100,000 bats have fallen from the sky and died during a heatwave in Australia that has left the trees and earth littered with dead creatures.
In scenes likened to "an Alfred Hitchock thought bubble", a heatwave across the north-east state of Queensland in recent days caused mass deaths of flying foxes from an estimated 25 colonies.
Health experts have warned residents not to touch the dead creatures amid concerns about the spread of virus or bites and scratches from bats that may still be alive. At least 16 people have been are receiving antiviral treatment after coming into close contact with a bat.
The stench from the rotting carcasses has begun to disturb residents of Brisbane and large towns. Authorities have dispatched rubbish collectors to pick up thousands of carcasses from populated areas.
The RSPCA said the heatwave could have a devastating effect on the state's wildlife.
"The heatwave was basically a catastrophe for all the bat colonies in south-east Queensland," a spokesman, Michael Beatty, told ABC News.
澳大利亚的酷热天气导致10万只蝙蝠从天上掉落死亡，树上和地上到处散落着蝙蝠的尸体。
近日澳大利亚东北部昆士兰州的热浪导致25个蝙蝠聚居地的蝙蝠大量死亡。这个场面被媒体描述为“希区柯克电影般的场景”。
健康专家警告居民不要触碰蝙蝠的尸体，以防造成病毒传播，或被依然存活的蝙蝠咬伤或抓伤。至少有16人因为和蝙蝠近距离接触而在接受抗病毒治疗。
蝙蝠尸体腐烂的恶臭已经开始困扰布里斯班和较大城镇的居民。当局派出环卫工人去人口密集地区清理成千上万的蝙蝠尸体。
英国皇家制止虐待动物协会称，这次热浪将可能对该州的野生动植物带来毁灭性后果。
该协会的发言人迈克尔·贝提告诉澳大利亚广播公司说：“这次热浪对昆士兰州东南部所有蝙蝠群落都是场大灾难。”