Status: Vulnerable
Habitat = Eucalyptus Angophora Moraceae (ficus) Syzygium
The Grey-headed Flying-fox is Australia's only endemic flying-fox and occurs in the coastal belt from Rockhampton in central Queensland to Melbourne in Victoria . However, only a small proportion of this range is used at any one time, as the species selectively forages where food is available. At a local scale, the species is generally present intermittently and irregularly. The species occurs at a higher latitude than any other Megabat species.
OUR CONSERVATION STATUS
National: Vulnerable
State: Vulnerable (NSW), Rare (SA), Threatened (VIC)
HOW MANY OF US ARE THERE?
< 700,000 individuals
WHERE DO WE LIVE?
The Grey-headed Flying-fox is a Megabat native to Australia and is endemic to the south-eastern forested areas of Australia, with a range that extends from central Queensland to Melbourne in Victoria.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Grey-headed Flying-fox is one of the largest bats in the world with a weight of up to 1 kg and a head-body length of up to 29 cm. This flying fox has a dark-grey body with a light-grey head and a reddish-brown neck collar of fur. It is unique among bats of the genus Pteropus in that fur on the legs extends all the way to the ankle.
OUR HABITAT
The Grey-headed Flying-fox is a canopy-feeding frugivore and nectarivore, utilising rainforests, open forests, woodlands, Melaleuca swamps and Banksia woodlands. Nectar and pollen from the flowers of eucalyptus, melaleucas and banksias are the primary food for the species but in some areas it also utilises a wide range of rainforest fruits. Movements of Grey-headed Flying-foxes are influenced by the availability of food.
The Grey-headed Flying-fox is important to the health and maintenance of many ecosystems in eastern Australia. The species performs pollination and seed dispersal for a wide range of native trees. It contributes directly to the reproduction, regeneration and the evolutionary processes of forest ecosystems.
FAMILY LIFE
Matings are generally between March and May, females have control over the copulation process, and males may have to keep mating with the same females. Females usually give birth to one young each year. Gestation lasts around 27 weeks, and males and females segregate in October when females usually give birth.
Newborns rely on their mothers for warmth and for their first three to five weeks, young cling to their mothers when they go foraging. After this, the young remain in the roosts. By January, the young are capable of sustained flight, and by February, March or April are fully weaned.
THREATS TO OUR SURVIVAL
Habitat loss and fragmentation including loss of foraging and roosting habitat.
Pollutants, electrocution and pathogens.
Climate Change - potential for an increase in heat-related deaths.
Grey-headed Flying-foxes love & need:
Eucalypts, evolved to cope with Australia’s climate, have adapted to survive though drought and bush fire. Most eucalypts can regenerate from seed after fire. Many eucalypts have woody capsules that protect the seeds during fire, but which open after fire, releasing their seeds. READ MORE
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes. The fruit of most species are edible though they are usually of only local economic importance or eaten as bush food. They are extremely important food resources for wildlife and of considerable cultural importance throughout the tropics, both as objects of worship and for their many practical uses. READ MORE
There are 52 species of Syzygium found in Australia and are generally known as lillipillies or brush cherries. Most species are evergreen trees and shrubs. Several species are grown as ornamental plants for their attractive glossy foliage, and a few produce edible fruit that are eaten fresh or used in jams and jellies. READ MORE
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31072018