‘He loved that little bat’: Richard Morecroft’s passion for wildlife rescue praised in tributes

ABC newsreader Richard Morecroft holds Archie, an orphaned baby flying fox who he fostered, as featured in the 1989 documentary film Raising Archie. Photograph: ABC

“There’s a small, furry animal, wrapped up in a handkerchief, keeping warm inside my shirt.”

So begins a 1989 documentary featuring the late ABC broadcaster Richard Morecroft, one of Australia’s most celebrated news anchors. But Morecroft had another deep passion – for wildlife rescuing and advocacy.