spectacled flying fox

Spectacled Flying-foxes (Pteropus conspicillatus) are large fruit bats, famous for the straw-coloured fur which surrounds their eyes like spectacles. They are nocturnal mammals which feed on nectar and fruit during the night and roost in trees during the day and are very social animals that live in colonies and roost in trees together.

Devastatingly an extreme heatwave in far north Queensland last November is estimated to have killed more than 23,000 spectacled flying foxes, equating to almost one third of the species in Australia.

The deaths were from colonies in the Cairns area where the mercury soared above 42 degrees Celsius two days in a row, breaking the city's previous record temperature for November by five degrees.

[Ann H. LeFevre]

Not sure I'd want one grasping my arm, but I am always thankful for the role they play in the chain of life! (I do like watching them fly through the air at dusk catching insects- awesome acrobats!)

[Lou Ann]

Bats are important, I’m kind of worried about this one’s claw holding onto the arm, though. 😊

[Walks @ 7]

Hope the species can adapt and recover.

[LaniK]

Annie-- Thank you forinformative info and unique photo. My heart goes out to th little buggers---lawsy lawsy---23 K dead--how very sad.

[haskar]

News from Australia is very sad. The heat wave that hit you is huge and so destructive.

[Diana]

Great shot but such sad info.

[PhylM-S]

Oh wow, this is terribly sad.

[KoalaGardens🐨]

oh hell, this is a huge blow :( these are at least as important as bees as they Australia's largest eucalypt pollinators. so many of our flying foxes are in big trouble

[Denise Wood]

Sad information from up north - but I can report they are alive and well down here at the bottom of Oz :)

[Sam]

Oh that is very sad :(

[Lynda McG]

So sad for these interesting creatures