Pongo has been moved to a bat sanctuary in Texas

The Mexican free-tailed bat was found near Docks in the county a few weeks ago.

Bat specialists think he had probably stowed away on a container ship and his strong smell led to animal workers nicknaming him Pongo.

He was taken into quarantine but there were problems finding an airline prepared to fly him back across the Atlantic until an American company stepped in.

Pongo was found near Dover by a member of the Kent Bat Group, who took him to quarantine facilities in Sussex.

We are extremely grateful to American Airlines for their larger pair of wings to help Pongo return home Dr Colin Catto

Staff there worked with specialists from the Bat Conservation Trust, vets and government agencies on both sides of the Atlantic to arrange for him to be returned home.

The difficulties finding anybody to take him home led to fears the bat would have to stay in the UK - instead of being returned to his native climate.

But American Airlines Cargo arranged for him to be flown to Dallas on Wednesday, from where he will be taken to the Bat World Sanctuary in Mineral Wells, Texas.

Roosting in USA

It is hoped that after rehabilitation Pongo will be released back into the wild.

Dr Colin Catto, director of conservation for the Bat Conservation Trust, said: "Pongo ran the risk that he would have had to remain in permanent quarantine in the UK.

"We are extremely grateful to American Airlines for their larger pair of wings to help Pongo return home."

There are more than 80 species of free-tailed bats in the world, and the Mexican is one of the smallest.

They roost in large numbers across the south of the US and as far south as Argentina.

No free-tailed bats are normally found in the UK, which is home to 16 species of bat.