September was Biodiversity Month in Australia — a month dedicated to promoting the importance of biodiversity through awareness, conservation, and sustainable practices. The following from Wildlife Queensland, hightlights well the importance of ….
Flying-foxes, also known as fruit bats, as the unsung biodiversity heroes.
Extraordinary members of the animal kingdom
These intelligent, sentient mammals bring life to our forests and keep the ecological balance intact. But as they face numerous challenges, including habitat loss and human conflicts, it’s important to recognise their vital contributions to our environment.
Flying-foxes are the largest flying mammals in the world and are native to Australia. They are vegetarians who forage on the fruit of over 50 native rainforest trees and vines. Their excellent vision and keen sense of smell help them navigate their way over vast landscapes.
All four species of flying-foxes are found in Queensland:
- black flying-fox (Pteropus alecto)
- little red flying-fox (Pteropus scapulatus)
- spectacled flying-fox (Pteropus conspicillatus)
- grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus).
How flying-foxes help preserve Queensland’s biodiversity
Seed Dispersal: Flying-foxes are important seed dispersers. They feed on a variety of fruits and nectar from native plants, and as they fly from tree to tree, they drop seeds along their flight paths. Each flying-fox can spread up to 60,000 seeds across a 50-kilometre stretch of land in one night. This helps in the regeneration and spread of native plants, contributing to the diversity of plant species in the region. Some plant species have co-evolved with flying-foxes, relying on them for seed dispersal.
More about these mammals on Learn From Nature and flying foxes
