Page 92 - Port Douglas Magazine 33

Douglas Shire News

PHOTO CREDIT @solar_whisper

A SPECTACLE TO BEHOLD

WORDS by Jeremy LeBeuf
There is a tropical north phenomenon that happens at dusk They love to mingle
every evening - while the sun begins to set blanketing Port A glimpse into the lives of Flying-foxes would show that they are
Douglas with a golden hue, the sky is peacefully eclipsed with an extroverted bunch, they love being part of the crowd. As social
thousands of the region’s most taboo species jetting off to find a animals they live together in roosts—some roosts may be as
juicy mango or two for a midnight snack that will be essential for small as a dozen but others can number in the tens or hundreds
the preservation of the rainforest. of thousands. Roosts are often semi-permanent, sometimes
With their trademark straw-coloured fur around the eyes which dispersing seasonally or when food is no longer available nearby,
lends them their name, the spectacled flying-fox is Australia’s or when an area is overtaken by the impacts of encroaching
largest flying mammal that can be more fittingly described as development, then they will decide its time to move along.
resembling a chihuahua with wings. Sadly, the fruit bat has more Chatter boxes
of a public relations problem villainizing them to the level of a dirty
lowdown WhatsApp scammer trying to con you into investing Flying-foxes like a good yarn, alright maybe they aren’t the greatest
ever storytellers but they do communicate with each other a lot.
thousands of real dollars into an obscure cryptocurrency rather
than rainforest saviour. When at a roost or feeding, flying-foxes ‘squabble’ loudly. When
they speak it sounds to us more like a collection of screeches and
Animosity for the flying fox comes from their large colony numbers cackles, but it is their way of communicating and allows them to
roosting in some urban areas, they can be a bit noisy, and sampling establish their personal roost sites or feeding territories, ward off
fruit from farmers’ trees will never go over too well, but hey a fruit rivals, stay in touch with their offspring, and warn others of possible
bat gonna eat. Oh, and then there is COVID, yes since it was once threats. By listening and watching, it may be possible to link some
‘reported’ that the Corona virus had its beginning from a tasty meal of the flying-fox’s behaviour to the calls it makes.
of bat the flying fox has been seen as filthy and disease-ridden with
rabies and COVID carriers – all these undesirables have called for Battling for survival
a cull of the bat. They get a bad rap for just being a bat. It’s never a good sign when
your name and cull are uttered in the same sentence. The truth
However, the spectacled flying-fox might just be the environmental is they are a vulnerable species that whether you like it or not our
superhero that the world needs. These fruit bats are vital for environment relies on. Their numbers have dramatically decreased
the health of our ecosystem. Next to bees, they are keystone over the years due to habitat loss, climate change, and people
pollinators, pollen sticks to their fur while they’re feeding on the taking it upon themselves to cull the fruit bat for whatever reason.
nectar of flowers, and then as they fly off, they are able to pollinate Their survival is at stake which means our native landscape is, too, if
many trees over long distances. They are also wonderful gardeners you would like to help you can contact Nightwings an organization
for the rainforest, they plant new forests by dispersing seeds from in the region that helps the rehabilitation of the Spectacled flying-
the fruit they eat. fox. nightwings.com.au
In order to change the narrative, it helps to know a few things about Any bat found alone during daylight hours is likely to be in trouble.,
the endangered spectacled flying-fox to gain more of an insight the chances are it is injured. Flying-foxes will never roost on their
into their plight, here are few things you will have you going batty own if they are healthy and able to fly. Please do not touch the
over the fruit bat. animal yourself as it takes training and experience to handle an
injured flying-fox.
They’ve been around
Archaeologists have dug up fossils that show flying-foxes have been If you find an injured or orphaned flying-fox you should immediately
eclipsing the night sky for more than 35 million years. Somebody contact :
had to fill up the airspace left by the mainly day-flying birds. And
they may be closer to you and me than you’d think, the ancestors Nightwings Bat Rescue on 07 4099 3224 or
of today’s flying-foxes may have evolved from a primitive primate, Daintree Life on 07 4098 9056.
meaning humans and flying-foxes may actually share a common
ancestry, that’s different, right?
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