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| Photo Danielle Crawford |
The little red flying-fox migration across the Sunshine Coast region is continuing and can make for an impressive sight at dusk as they leave their roosts to feed on the flowering eucalypts.
Sunshine Coast Council officers are monitoring the flying-fox visitors as part of the Environment Levy Program which is focused on protecting and enhancing the region's valuable natural assets and wildlife.
Infrastructure Services Director Andrew Ryan said the animals were following the flowering events around the region, moving between the roosts frequently in large numbers.
"Little reds are night-time pollinators and are essential to many of our local eucalypts, whose flowers only open at night," Mr Ryan said.
"While some residents adjoining the roosts are looking forward to our little red flying-fox visitors moving on soon, for others their spectacular sunset fly out has sparked a lot of interest with many regularly hosting street 'cheese, bikkies and bats' get-togethers, to watch the action overhead.
"By pollinating eucalypts around Queensland, flying-foxes are increasing koala habitat and keeping our native forests genetically healthy. "Large increases of the little reds have been recorded in Coolum and Tooway Creek in recent weeks. "They should return to their maternity roosts in north and western areas of Queensland by late March."
If you're interested in learning more about flying-foxes, join Gecko's Wildlife for their upcoming presentations about the secret life of flying-foxes starting at Caloundra Library on Monday, February 29 and continuing around the region in March.
Visit council's library website for further information and to make a booking.
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