Threatened Species Commissioner
Australia has around 90 bat species. And this pair of Grey headed flying foxes are certainly super cute. In China and Tibet, bats are regarded as auspicious and frequently appear on the artwork of antique ginger pots and carpets.
If you live near a colony of these bats, it would be easy to think they are abundant. But Grey headed flying foxes are threatened with habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, power lines, barbed wire and secondary poisoning. As part of the #ThreatenedSpecies Strategy, the Australian Government has made a commitment to having up-to-date recovery plans and conservation advices for all priority threatened species. I'm pleased to say that my colleagues in the Department have been working on this one. So watch this space.
Thanks Humane Society International Australia for reminding me of how gorgeous our bats can be, and for sharing this stunning photo taken by Nick Edwards.
sm flipboard done
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