Grey-headed Flying Fox
Pteropus poliocephalusAlso known as Grey-headed Fruit Bat
These giant, canopy-dwelling bats form noisy, bustling colonies known as camps, which can number in the tens of thousands of individuals. They navigate the night skies using keen eyesight and an acute sense of smell to locate flowering eucalyptus trees and fruiting canopy plants. As crucial long-distance pollinators, they help maintain the genetic health and diversity of Australia's native forests.
- diet
- Nectar, pollen, and native fruits, especially eucalyptus, melaleuca, and banksia blossoms
- family
- Pteropodidae
- threats
- Habitat loss, extreme heatwaves, electrocution on powerlines, and entanglement in fruit netting
- life Span
- 15 to 20 years in the wild
VU
Can carry Australian Bat Lyssavirus; never touch or handle, and contact local wildlife rescue if one is injured.
Can carry Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV), a rabies-like virus transmissible to humans through bites or scratches.
Never touch a live or dead bat; if scratched or bitten, wash the wound immediately and seek urgent medical attention.Listed as Vulnerable due to severe habitat clearing and high mortality during extreme summer heatwaves.
Keep dogs on leashes near camps and avoid making loud noises that could trigger a panicked colony flush.- Observe from below: Watch them stream out of their roosts at dusk, a spectacular event known as the fly-out.
- Keep your distance: Avoid entering active camps during the day to prevent stressing the roosting colony.
- Report injured bats: Call a vaccinated wildlife rehabilitator immediately if you find a bat on the ground or caught in netting.