Mass starvation across two states

Flying foxes are starving en masse across New South Wales and parts of Victoria. Wildlife rescuers are responding to a surge in reports of exhausted and emaciated adults and skeletal pups.

Vulnerable species facing food crisis

Most reports involve grey-headed flying foxes, listed as vulnerable under federal environment laws.They usually feed on blossoms and nectar of native trees but now face food shortages from the northern rivers to the south coast.

Rescue organisations overwhelmed

Rachael Smethurst, bat coordinator at Fawna wildlife rescue on the NSW mid-north coast, said the organisation was receiving fifty to ninety calls each day.

Desperate behaviour in backyards

Bats are eating ornamental fruit trees and unripe cocos palms in backyards. They crawl on the ground eating unripe dropped fruit and are literally dropping out of trees due to starvation.

“They're crawling around on the ground eating unripe dropped fruit, and quite literally dropping out of trees due to starvation.”

Habitat loss and dry winter blamed

Wires wildlife rescue said the mass starvation event was likely the result of habitat loss and a dry winter, with poor seasonal flowering of eucalypts and other native trees.

Pregnant females losing young

Many malnourished and dehydrated female flying foxes are in the final month of their gestational period and are tragically losing their young.

Long-term impact on species

Tamsyn Hogarth, director of the Fly By Night Bat Clinic, said grey-headed flying foxes usually give birth to one young per year.