 |
| Flying Fox Bat |
|
| Flying Fox Bat |
The following information was sent to me by a concerned Australian that is interested in preserving flying foxes as a species for the future.
Flying-foxes are one of the largest types of bats in the group known as megabats. Insect eating bats and other small bats such as the nectar and fruit eating bats of the new world are known as microchiroptera or microbats.You may be interested to know that there are four species of flying-foxes in Australia. Spectacled flying-foxes are found in the Atherton area and are close to being endangered. Two species, Little reds and Black flying-foxes seem to be not threatened. The other species, Grey-headed flying-foxes are the only species endemic to Australia. They have grey heads and orange ruffs around their necks.
Their numbers have dropped very considerably since European settlement and they have been forced to move south because of habitat clearance. They eat a wide range of native blossoms especially eucalypts (gum trees) and native fruits (rainforest species). They are vital for the spreading of native rainforest seeds and pollination of eucalypt forests, so are a very ecologically important species.
The latest population counts throughout Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria have shown there to be only 400,000 animals. This may seem a lot but it has been estimated that even if no more clearing of native trees happens and only a few orchards shoot them (If there is a shortage of native foods they may eat orchard fruit and orchards can apply for licenses to shoot them. A lot of illegal shooting also occurs.), and if 80% of juveniles survive (which is a vast over estimate, because most juveniles die) they will go extinct within 20 years.
Grey-headed flying-foxes are nomadic animals following the flowering of native trees in winter and returning to maternity roosts each year to breed. Because of native tree clearing throughout their range (coastal Eastern Australia where most development has and is occurring) they have now formed some permanent camps where some of them are found all year. One of these is in the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens, and because they cause some damage to trees from roosting (they have sharp claws and crash land) the Victorian government and the managers of the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens have decided to shoot the flying-foxes. If the flying-foxes are later found to be vulnerable they will set up a recovery plan.
If you object to this slaughter could you write to the Premier of Victoria, Parliament House, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2000 and to the Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. You can find more about this by visiting the website of Bat Conservation International.
Thank you. Letters from overseas may make them change their minds and come up with another solution to saving their heritage trees. There is no guarantee that shooting will work either. The more letters from overseas the better so ask your friends too.