Going batty as pups fly the coop
Shire Wildlife
They may be an endangered species, but the Port Douglas bats have been creating quite a racket this month.
If you are wondering why the spectacled flying foxes, which are only found in Australia in small pockets of Far North Queensland including a large colony in Port Douglas, have been so loud lately, they are going through a key part of breeding season.
This is the time the new bat pups are leaving their mothers after clinging on to mum across the past six months.
The birthing season for the spectacled flying fox happens from September, with pups staying close to their mothers until about April.
They have been testing out their new wings and the tangle of limbs high in the trees have been a sight to behold during that time.
The bat colony roosts between Barrier Street, St Crispins Avenue, and Old Port Road, but the species is experiencing rapid population decline and was listed as endangered in 2019 due to factors including habitat loss and heat events.
There are about 66,000 SFFs in 12 active camps, including Port Douglas, Wonga and Gordonvale.
The Cape York Natural Resource Management group is currently doing a survey of SFFs in that region.
Cape York NRM is calling on the Cape York community and members of the public to report any sightings as part of a project to raise awareness about the endangered species, and where it lives and feeds across the region.
Project officer Maree Coulson is leading the study.
“We need to know more about their presence on Cape York and we need the community’s help with this,” Ms Coulson said.
“We need to build on existing knowledge of their range and presence, raise awareness in the community and also implement actions to support the overall protection of spectacled flying foxes.
“There is limited information known about their presence on Cape York, so the information we’re looking for from the community is the time, place and number of bats seen – photographs are also great.”
If you see a “specky”, submit your report at capeyorknrm.com.au/campaigns/spectacled-flying-fox-sighting
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