BATTING ABOVE AVERAGE
Flying-foxes are hard-working little Aussies. They are FIFO workers on the night shift – flying out from their camps at dusk to feed on flowering or fruiting plants and trees. And then they do the incredibly important job of spreading pollen and seeds – up to 60,000 seeds each along a 50km stretch of land every night! When their crucial work is done, they head back to camp before dawn to sleep through the day, ready for their next shift. Their contribution to the health of our native forests cannot be overstated.
There are only four species of flying-fox in Australia, (three of which are often seen flying and roosting in the Hunter & Central Coast Region). Flying-foxes are nomadic mammals that travel up and down the east coast of Australia, primarily along the eastern coastal plain. Grey-headed Flying-foxes are found from Ingham (110km north of Townsville in Queensland), through New South Wales and south to Victoria (and are now even found in South Australia). Spectacled Flying-foxes are typically found north of Ingham in Queensland. Both Black Flying-foxes and Little-Red Flying-foxes are both found in Ingham – the only town in Australia you can do this.
FAMILY AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Flying-foxes are intelligent, social animals that live in large colonies comprised of individuals and family groups. They roost in trees during the day and establish permanent and semi-permanent camps near food sources and for birthing.
They use various calls as a form of communication, tending to make the most noise at dawn and dusk, when flying out to feed at night or returning to camp trees to sleep during the day. They can get pretty noisy when they are disturbed, but during the day, flying-foxes are generally quiet as they are nocturnal animals.