Spectacled Flying Fox: Recovering Threatened Species

RECOVERING THE SPECTACLED FLYING FOX

MAXIMISING SURVIVAL OF THE SPECIES BY REDUCING SOURCES OF MORTALITY

Overview

Working with several partners, Terrain NRM is delivering three projects to contribute to the recovery of the Spectacled Flying fox.

Background

The Spectacled Flying-fox is one of the 110 priority threatened species identified by the Threatened Species Commissioners officer.

It has undergone a serious decline in numbers over the last two decades, dropping from over 325,000 individuals to only 78,000 in that time. Threats include:

Impacts of severe cyclones on food supplies
Persecution at orchards and camps
Deaths from tick paralysis
Habitat loss and degradation
Low natural rate of recruitment (requires less than 20% mortality each year to remain stable).

To rebuild numbers we need to maximise survival and control as many sources of mortality as possible.

Solutions

Science program to gather more knowledge about population size, areas that they occupy and what resources they use.
Development and testing of new monitoring methods using drone technology, with James Cook University (JCU).
Population monitoring by First Nations groups on their country.
Tested methodology for future monitoring of the species.
Mapping of wild tobacco across the Atherton Tableland where Spectacled Flying-foxes are killed by paralysis ticks.
Wild tobacco weed removal and ongoing control activities.

Location

Wet Tropics region

Partners

Spectacled Flying fox Recovery Team, Traditional Owners, Councils, scientists and researchers, landholders, Tolga Bat Hospital.

Funders

Australian Government