What we can do
There is always something we can do to help protect and save this vulnerable species. Below are some ways everyday people like you and me can make a difference in the lives of Australia's biggest bat.
Plant native trees or join a native tree planting
Grey-Headed Flying Foxes need trees to survive.
-
Tress support their large roosting colonies in the daytime in which they socialize and rest. Grey-Headed
-
Flying Foxes rely on nectar, pollen and fruit from native trees like eucalyptus, melaleuca, and figs as their main food sources. Without them their food source would be greatly limited, forcing them to feed on introduced plant species, which can conflict with human preferences.
-
Trees also provide protection for predators and extreme weather, creating safe spaces for breeding and raising young.
-
As nocturnal fliers, they use trees as waypoints for navigation and follow flowering cycles to determine their movement patterns.
Without healthy trees, their populations face significant threats due to habitat loss.
Learn more about Native Tree Planting Initiatives. Click below!
Use safer netting for your fruit trees
Fruit nets can seriously injure and cause harm to Grey-Headed Flying Foxes, even leading to death.
Fruit on household trees and plants is a tempting treat for hungry wildlife. Netting is a popular way to protect fruit, but inappropriate types of netting can kill or injure animals such as birds, possums or flying foxes.​
To reduce the risk it is essential to:
-
Make sure that netting used on household fruiting trees or plants must have a mesh size of 5mm x 5mm or less at full stretch.
-
Making the net white in color would also help nocturnal flyers to easily identify the net reducing risk or injury and harm to out native animals.
-
Nets made from materials with a strand diameter thicker than 500 microns, or with a cross-weave design will also help to reduce injuries and fatalities.
-
Disposing of unneeded nets correctly can reduce harm to wildlife to.
-
Make sure to check netted trees every day to ensure the nets are not loose and no animals are caught
-
If there is an animal caught in the netting DO NOT attempt to remove. Call a wildlife rescue group to safely remove the animal.
-
Learn more about Safer Netting. Click below!
During hotter months, provide shade and cooling
Climate change and global warming are big threats to the already decreasing population of Grey-Headed Flying Foxes
-
During the warmer months flying foxes need more water to keep hydrated. Leaving out shallow bowls/containers of water changed regularly in the shade and near plants, can help flying foxes keep hydrated and healthy in high temperatures.
-
Use misting hoses or sprinklers on low near trees where flying foxes roost can cool them down. (But never spray them directly).
-
Avoid disturbing roosting's as the flying foxes are most likely resting and will try to conserve their energy during hotter months.
-
Provide shade by using umbrellas, tarpaulins, or by planting shade trees. The shade can act as a safe and cool resting ground for the flying foxes to stop by.
Learn more about how to help Grey-Headed Flying Foxes in high temperatures. Click below!