In the Hunter region of New South Wales, a mother flying fox and her newborn were found starving and carried into care, a small and painful sign of something larger. A winter that ran warmer and drier than usual failed to bring the blossoms on which these animals depend, and the nectar that should have fed them thinned away. Across the state, a species that quietly pollinates much of the eucalypt canopy is now being pushed toward hunger, toxic food and early death. Whether the trees bloom again, and how many young survive, will tell us how deeply the season has reached into the living web arou
Hunter Flying Fox Population Under Threat as Food Shortage Triggers Starvation Event
The loss of an entire generation is now on the cards.
Mark
Why does a bat shortage matter to people who never see these animals?
Mimi
Because of the trees. Hunter Wildlife Rescue's Kerry Walker says about 80 per cent of gum trees are pollinated by flying foxes, which carry pollen and seeds over great distances.
Mark
So what went wrong this year?
Mimi
A warm, dry winter disrupted when the trees flower. Less blossom means less nectar, and the bats are short of food.
Luke
Is that cause confirmed, or is it the rescue group's reading of events?
Mimi
It's the group's explanation, and the report doesn't cite a separate study. It fits the weather described, but that's what we have.
Mark
And the toxic fruit?
Mimi
Hungry bats have been eating things like green cocos palm fruit, which is toxic to them. That's part of why so many are weak or dying.
Luke
The report says the loss of a generation is on the cards. How many animals is that?
Mimi
No count is given. We don't have totals for sick bats, deaths or pups lost, only that reports have spiked and experts are worried.
Mark
What can someone actually do?
Mimi
Hang fruit garlands, avoiding banana, and call 0418 628 483 for a sick or injured bat rather than touching it.
Der Puls
- A female flying fox and her pup arrived at Hunter Wildlife Rescue emaciated, part of a sharp spike in sick animals across the region.
- A warm, dry winter wrecked the flowering cycle, and the nectar that sustains the bats has nearly vanished.
- Starving flying foxes are eating toxic green cocos palm fruit, and weakened mothers are giving birth early, losing pups at a frightening rate.
- Carers warn that a generation of the species could be lost, while the rescue group urges people to hang melon, apple and pear garlands and to call 0418 628 483 for any sick animal.
- The outcome now hinges on whether the trees flower again and how many pups survive the season.
In the Hunter region of New South Wales, a mother flying fox and her newborn were found starving and carried into care, a small and painful sign of something larger. A winter that ran warmer and drier than usual failed to bring the blossoms on which these animals depend, and the nectar that should have fed them thinned away. Across the state, a species that quietly pollinates much of the eucalypt canopy is now being pushed toward hunger, toxic food and early death. Whether the trees bloom again, and how many young survive, will tell us how deeply the season has reached into the living web around us.
A female flying fox and her newborn pup were found emaciated in Lake Macquarie and taken into care. Their arrival is one of many. Hunter Wildlife Rescue has seen a sharp rise in reports of sick bats across the Hunter, and the group says the cause is hunger.
An unusually warm and dry winter upset the flowering of the trees these animals rely on. With fewer blossoms there is little nectar, and Kerry Walker, the group's vice president, says the shortage is felt across New South Wales. Driven by hunger, some bats have turned to toxic green cocos palm fruit, and many are growing weak or dying.
The food crisis has also brought a wave of premature births. Mothers cannot nourish their young, and many pups are dying early. Experts warn that an entire generation could be lost.
The stakes go beyond the bats. Walker notes that flying foxes pollinate around 80 per cent of gum trees and spread seeds across great distances, making them vital to the region's ecology.
Residents can help by hanging garlands of melon, apple or pear, though never banana, and by leaving any sick or injured animal alone while calling Hunter Wildlife Rescue on 0418 628 483. The coming weeks will show whether the flowering recovers and how many pups survive.
A female flying fox and her newborn pup were found emaciated in Lake Macquarie and brought into care. Their case is one of a growing number reaching Hunter Wildlife Rescue, which says it has seen a large spike in reports of sick flying foxes across the Hunter.
The cause, according to the group, is a shortage of food. An unusually warm and dry winter disrupted the regular flowering patterns of the trees the bats rely on. With fewer blossoms, there is less nectar, and the animals are going hungry.
Kerry Walker, vice president of Hunter Wildlife Rescue, described the problem as widespread. The trees, she said, have not come into flower as much as they should, and the bats do not have enough nectar. In her words, that has left insufficient food for flying foxes all over the state.
Hunger has pushed some of the animals toward food that harms them. Among the items they have been eating is the fruit of the green cocos palm, which is toxic to them. Many of the bats are becoming weak or are dying.
The shortage has arrived alongside a wave of premature births. With so little food available, mothers are unable to give their young enough nutrition, and many pups are dying early. Experts say the loss of an entire generation of the species is now a real possibility.
The stakes reach beyond the bats themselves. Flying foxes are recognised as a key species in the Australian ecosystem, responsible for pollination and seed distribution. Walker said about 80 per cent of gum trees are pollinated by flying foxes, because they travel such great distances and spread seeds widely. She called them absolutely critical to biodiversity and ecology.
Residents are being asked to help in two ways. People who want to feed the bats can hang garlands of fruit in trees, using melon, apple and pear but not banana. Anyone who finds a sick or injured flying fox is advised to leave it alone and call Hunter Wildlife Rescue on 0418 628 483.
What to watch is whether flowering recovers, and how many pups survive the season.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
They are absolutely critical to biodiversity and ecology.— Kerry Walker, vice president, Hunter Wildlife Rescue
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