701k members in the environment community. Why are spectacled flying foxes endangered? Habitat. The spectacled flying-fox has required a lot of detailed modelling. Cairns dispersal of endangered spectacled flying-foxes from CBD nationally important flying-fox camp. The Spectacled flying foxes (Range – Nth QLD) and Grey-headed flying foxes (range: east coast from northern NSW to Geelong) are the most endangered with declines of more than ninety-five percent in the past century. Current news, information and issues related to the environment. These include the Little Red Flying-Fox; Black Flying-Fox; Grey-headed Flying-Fox and Spectacled Flying-Fox. Most of these are Spectacled Flying-foxes (SFFs) but at certain times of the year, small numbers of Little Red Flying-foxes can also be found. Australia’s vastly diminished Spectacled flying fox population faces a new threat to its survival following a recent federal decision granting the relocation of a significant roosting colony of spectacled flying foxes in Cairns. In Australia, it’s found in north-east Queensland and on the Torres Strait Islands, as well as in Papua New Guinea, parts of Indonesia and the Solomon Islands. The mating season lasts from March to May. The Spectacled Flying-fox was listed as a threatened species under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of 1999. Endangered spectacled flying-foxes are set to be dispersed from their camp in Cairns CBD, one of the last strongholds of the species. However, when a female doesn't yield offspring, her mate will leave to breed with other females, thus exhibiting polygynous breeding. Spectacled flying-fox. Of the 65 species of Flying Foxes worldwide, almost half are at risk of extinction. Credit: Stefan Kellner. Spectacled Flying-foxes will skim over the surface of water to drink and are sometimes eaten by crocodiles. Yes, a bat that is almost a foot long! The flying fox lives in Australia. Modelling identified that the species was likely to be extinct in less than 100 years due to the high levels of death associated with human interactions. They roost together in groups often made up of tens of thousands of bats, called camps. Spectacled Flying-foxes roost high on the branches of trees. Even though the IUCN Red List states the spectacled flying fox is stable, the Australian government as listed them as endangered. The Cairns Flying Fox Advisory Committee was informed in 2019 by an eminent flying-fox expert that the Spectacled Flying Fox (SFF) population in Australia had decreased by 80 to 85% meaning it would likely meet the criteria for Critically Endangered status. The listing was primarily based on the national population decline of around 30 percent. Flying foxes are in deep trouble. Cairns is home to a large number of flying-foxes. It’s an incredibly significant site for the Endangered species and is recognised as one of just twenty ‘Nationally Important Camps’ that should be conserved. But when the spectacled flying-fox was finally declared endangered in February 2019, they already qualified as critically endangered, according to official guidelines . In February, federal Environment Minister Melissa Price upgraded the spectacled flying fox from vulnerable to endangered on the national threatened species list. Camps are often found in patches of rainforest and swamps as well as mangroves. The spectacled flying-fox camp in Cairns has a tumultuous history, being subject to creeping destruction and the impacts of construction projects for years. The Spectacled Flying-Fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) was first scientifically described in 1850 by John Gould and, when listed earlier this year, joined another 37 mammals added to the Australian national endangered list. On many islands, Flying Foxes are targeted for hunting because they eat fruit from farms. Four species of flying fox, otherwise known as fruit-bat, are already native to Australia. flying fox is endangered becuase of pochers. Noel Preece, Penny van Oosterzee, Maree Kerr, Evan Quartermain, and Justin Welbergen published a Conversation piece about the long series of controversial management actions that culminated in the decision to disperse the bats from the Cairns City Library site. Dr Martin Cohen, wildlife biologist and Chair of the Cairns Flying Fox Advisory Committee slams Cairns Regional Council's plans to disperse Endangered Spectacled Flying … Almost half the species of this type of fruit bat are now threatened with extinction. The flying fox lives in Australia. The grey-headed flying-fox was listed as Vulnerable to extinction under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 in 2001. Official recognition that the spectacled flying fox is now an endangered species was bittersweet for those who lobbied for its change in status. But when the spectacled flying-fox was finally declared endangered in February 2019, they already qualified as critically endangered, according to official guidelines. I mentioned that the Spectacled Flying Fox is a megabat and for good reason since their capable of growing to a length of 25 cm (9.8″). Justin Welbergen Why dispersals don’t work. An extreme heatwave in far north Queensland last month is estimated to have killed a third of spectacled flying foxes, sparking calls to class the species as 'critically endangered'. It is the largest specie of flying fox that lives there and it is also the only endangered specie of flying fox. There are 44 known roost sites (or camps) across the Cairns local government area, of which six are listed as Nationally Important Camps. The camp is one of the last major strongholds of the species, harbouring, on average, 12% of Australia’s remaining spectacled flying-foxes. A wild and endangered Spectacled Flying Fox among some passionfruit vines at a wildlife hospital in Kuranda, Queensland. The Spectacled flying-fox A community perspective Maree Treadwell Kerr BatSoc Inc CRC Flying-fox Advisory Committee Australasian Bat Society Wildlife Tourism Australia Griffith University. Endangered spectacled flying-foxes are set to be dispersed from their camp in Cairns CBD, one of the last strongholds of the species. Both species are protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and high levels of state protection. It is the largest specie of flying fox that lives there and it is also the only endangered specie of flying fox. This one’s so adorable, with its straw-coloured fur around its eyes, the Spectacled Flying-fox is but another of Australia’s endangered mammals. But the number of casualties becomes even more significant when dealing with already endangered species. The council is permitted to disperse the flying-foxes with deterrent measures, including pyrotechnics, intense lighting, acoustic devices and other non-lethal means. We, the signatories of this petition, request Cairns Regional Council to cancel all plans to ‘disperse’ (forcibly evict) critically endangered Spectacled Flying Foxes from the nationally significant Cairns City Library camp as it will place great stress on this species leading to higher mortality rates. Spectacled flying foxes normally display monogamous mating system, where each individual has only one mate per season. Spectacled Flying-foxes. The Spectacled Flying Fox is also known as the Spectacled Fruit Bat but I prefer the Flying Fox so we are going to stick with that one. IMAGE: Justin Welbergen Why dispersals don’t work. Hardy calls for reducing the flying fox population to about 13,000 individuals—the number he estimates lived on the island in the 1970s. Popular with tourists, flying foxes are a source of tension among locals. On Saturday, Cairns Regional Council will disperse up to 8,000 endangered spectacled flying-foxes from their nationally important camp in central Cairns. On some islands, bat species are protected by law. There are several reasons for this. This listing was transferred to the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 when it came into force on 25 August 2017. They are considered vulnerable due to a significant decline in numbers as a result of loss of their prime feeding habitat and secluded camp sites. Let’s learn a little more about this megabat, shall we? 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