Coast home to 'flying migaloo'

The Leucistic grey-headed flying-fox.

• Coast home to 'flying migaloo'

A flying fox is standing out from the crowd on the Sunshine Coast, earning him the nickname 'Flying Migaloo'. Council officers, who've been studying a roost at Landsborough, recently found a bat with leucism which means he has no pigmentation. Researchers Raylene Draper says he's from the 'grey-headed' species but he's actually golden in colour. "It's a very rare thing to see," Raylene says. "He's not an albino because his eyes are black and he does look very golden in the sunlight."

• Sunshine Coast Council

Today is National Threatened Species day so it’s fitting we share with you a little bit of video of our own extremely rare white flying-fox found during an Environment Levy funded study.
Flying-foxes are listed as vulnerable and are vital to the long term survival of our native forests because of their role in long distance pollination and seed dispersal.

Flying Migaloo
Today is National Threatened Species day so it’s fitting we share with you a little bit of video of our own extremely rare white flying-fox found during an Environment Levy funded study.Flying-foxes are listed as vulnerable and are vital to the long term survival of our native forests because of their role in long distance pollination and seed dispersal. #threatenedspeciesday
Posted by Sunshine Coast Council on Monday, September 7, 2015

• The Sunshine Coast’s own “flying Migaloo" found in survey

A RARELY-seen white grey-headed flying-fox has been spotted at a flying-fox roost during a study into local populations.

Sunshine Coast Council environment portfolio councillor Jenny McKay said the Environment Levy funded research would inform and improve flying-fox management.

"Our own 'flying Migaloo' is easy to identify and it's hoped council can learn more about his movement patterns as he tours the Sunshine Coast," she said.

"With National Threatened Species Day today it's appropriate to highlight that the grey-headed flying-foxes are listed as vulnerable and nationally protected under the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act.

"Flying-foxes are vital to the long term survival of our native forests because of their role in long distance pollination and seed dispersal."

Fast facts

• Leucism is a condition in which there is a partial loss of pigmentation in an animal resulting in white, pale, or patchy colouration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticles, but not the eyes.
• Leucistic animals are more vulnerable to predators due to their colouration and it is unusual for them to survive to adulthood.
• The male leucistic grey-headed flying-fox was found during routine monitoring of the coastal and lowland urban roosts of the Sunshine Coast.
• National Threatened Species Day is held on September 7 each year, commemorating the death of the last Tasmanian tiger at Hobart Zoo in 1936.

• Sunshine Coast Council
• sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au / spotted sunshine coast own flying migaloo

Check out our own ‘flying Migaloo’! He is a rarely seen white Grey headed flying-fox, spotted at a local roost.

Due to his white colour, ‘Flying Migaloo’ is easy to identify. It’s hoped we learn more about his movement patterns as he tours the Sunshine Coast.