What is a flying-fox in Australia?

Flying-foxes are nomadic mammals that travel up and down the east coast of Australia, primarily along the eastern coastal plain. Grey-headed Flying-foxes are found from Ingham (110km north of Townsville in Queensland), through New South Wales and south to Victoria (and are now even found in South Australia).

Is the flying-fox native to Australia?

Australia’s only endemic flying-fox species. Occurs in the coastal belt from Rockhampton in central Queensland to Adelaide in South Australia. Restricted to tropical rainforest areas between Ingham and Cooktown, and between the McIlwraith and Iron Ranges of Cape York.

Are flying foxes protected in Australia?

The grey-headed flying-fox is listed as a threatened species and is protected by law because numbers have rapidly declined over a relatively short period of time.

Can a GREY-headed flying fox fly?

Grey-headed Flying-foxes commute daily to foraging areas, usually within 15 km of the day roost site (Tidemann 1998). Grey-headed Flying-foxes are capable of nightly flights of up to 50 km from their roost to different feeding areas as food resources change (Eby unpubl.

What’s the difference between a bat and a flying fox?

Flying foxes are bats or, more accurately, mega-bats (big bats). They are commonly known as fruit bats, but their diet is predominately nectar, pollen, and fruit — in that order. They don’t use sonar like smaller, insect-eating bats; only their eyes and ears like us. A flying fox mother cradling her baby close.

What are flying foxes adaptations?

Adaptations. Adult flying foxes with larger wings have the habit of resting by wrapping their wings around their bodies so as to keep off any kind of light entering their eyes. Their wings are somewhat rounded at the tips, which allows them to fly slowly.

How many flying foxes are there in Australia?

A May 2019 national survey estimated that there are around 589,000 gray-headed flying foxes in Australia.

How do I get rid of flying foxes in Australia?

If you don’t want flying-foxes feeding in your backyard, you could remove the fruit manually or net the tree with wildlife-friendly netting to make access for the flying-foxes difficult. Some people choose to remove the trees that attract the flying-foxes.