It is not normal to see a lone flying fox. This is the grey headed flying fox and is another of vulnerable species in great danger of dying out. These are at least as important as bees for the survival of our forest trees, and they actually share the same primary food trees as the koala. So they are critical for the survival of the koala.
This is a youngster and must have got lost heading home. I did call out the rescue team but he was a in a spot we couldn't catch him, so we left him for the day in the hopes he would rejoin his colony when they come back over that night. Hooray he was gone the next morning, so he will have found his way home!
I certainly hear them out in the trees at night, and smile to know the conservation here is helping yet another vulnerable species.
Such a cute little fellow -- reminds me of my childhood and going for a walk in the twilight along a country lane hand in hand with my dad to see the native bats I love to see them swooping own towards us as they flew past - I couldn't understand how some of the children were afraid of such a sweet harmless little creature !
@sugarmuser yes Sharon the numbers have dropped alarmingly indeed so I'm not surprised you are noticing it there @jacqbb these ones are quite different and they roost in trees rather than caves like most bats. So this young fella just kind of took the best shelter he could for the night, but alone. @beryl indeed they are harmless, never heard of anyone being attacked by one, but they do sadly carry some diseases so it's never advisable to pick up one you find injured. wildlife rescuers get vaccinations to be protected.
@elatedpixie oh yes it was on my property - I did call a bat rescue expert who is hand raising a tiny one we pulled off a power line here last month. She came and checked this one which was too high in a tree to grab, and suggested he was old enough to be without mum and would hopefully rejoin the colony when they came through again that night (I'm 2 days behind here!). Next morning he was gone, so we presume he found his family :) They are quite beautiful and so critical for our native forests, so it's tragic they are yet another endangered species here.
I think you deserve a medal for all that you do or - better yet - the government should give you a big chunk of land and funding for your conservation work.
@jacqbb these ones are quite different and they roost in trees rather than caves like most bats. So this young fella just kind of took the best shelter he could for the night, but alone.
@beryl indeed they are harmless, never heard of anyone being attacked by one, but they do sadly carry some diseases so it's never advisable to pick up one you find injured. wildlife rescuers get vaccinations to be protected.