Recent research indicates that the vulnerable population of Grey-headed Flying Foxes in Australia is on the rise again, leaving scientists feeling "optimistic" about the species' future.
Flying foxes are the largest bats in Australia, with the Grey-headed Flying Fox being one of the largest flying mammals in the world. With wingspans that can exceed 1 meter, these bats are mostly found along the east coast of Australia, from Victoria to central Queensland, although some also inhabit the southern coast, extending as far as Adelaide.
Highly intelligent and social creatures, bats exhibit relatively complex communication compared to other animals, with over 20 distinct vocalizations. They also serve as crucial pollinators in their ecosystems.
Title: Grey-headed Flying Foxes: Stability Amidst Challenges
In recent years, the population of grey-headed flying foxes has declined due to habitat destruction and adverse effects of climate change. Thousands of these foxes have perished in summer heatwaves, prompting their official classification as an endangered species.
Monitoring is crucial to improving the plight and status of endangered species. However, accurately assessing the population of flying foxes is challenging. Events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the unprecedented wildfires spanning Southeast Africa from 2019 to 2020 posed significant challenges to regular census efforts.
Scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) conducted a new survey, providing a better understanding of the grey-headed flying fox population, with encouraging results. The findings were published on March 21 in the journal "Public Library of Science - One."
From November 2012 to August 2022, scientists conducted nearly 12,000 surveys across 912 grey-headed flying fox habitats. These data were collated by the National Flying Fox Monitoring Program (NFFMP).
The authors noted, "We found that over the ten-year survey period, the vulnerable flying fox population remained relatively stable. While quarterly statistics exhibited considerable fluctuations, our consistent long-term data indicated that these fluctuations did not necessarily reflect population changes."
The model indicates a stable bat population of approximately 622,000 to 692,000 individuals.
Researchers pointed out that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed flying foxes as "endangered" based on an inference of a population decline to 467,000 individuals during the massive wildfires of November 2019. Despite the widespread belief in the species' decline, researchers stated that their raw data and simulated population trends suggest that the grey-headed flying fox population remained stable throughout the NFFMP period, with its habitat range also stable. "Grey-headed flying foxes should be removed from the endangered species list."
"The data showcased in our study are good news," researchers said, emphasizing the critical need for closely monitoring the flying fox species amid intensifying heatwaves and other extreme weather conditions.
Related Paper Information: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298530
