Grey Headed Flying Fox
The Grey-headed Flying-Fox is one of the largest bats in the world.
Grey Headed Flying Foxes
In 2009, after more than a year of planning and hard work, the grey headed flying foxes from that Kuringai Bat Society had been caring for at Lane Cove National Park for around 20 years, finally arrived at their new home at Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park.
The bat colony at Walkabout Park is made up of a ‘family’ of unreleasable individuals.
The original flying foxes in the colony were Stephanie, Hannah, Molly, Bella, Cally, Fleur, Lilli Pilli and the three boys, Scribbly, Koda and Jackson. They settled in well and have gone from strength to strength over the years, thanks to the ongoing support of Tim and Cary Pearson who had been working with them since around 1990. During the day visitors can see the bats dangling from the top of their large, purpose-designed enclosure.
This is a wonderful permanent home for these ‘furry flyers’.
Because of changes to legislation governing National Parks, the bats couldn’t stay at Lane Cove, their home for 20+ years, and their carers did not want them to go to a zoo. The team at Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park, with our philosophy of ‘conservation through education’, feel honoured that we were selected as the one place these intriguing animals would be happy and where they can continue their work as ambassadors to the public.
It is estimated that by around 2090 the grey-headed flying fox will be extinct. This is devastating to contemplate because the flying fox is a “key-stone species’. The night-flowering Australian gum trees are completely dependent on the flying fox for pollination as the gums must be pollinated at night when nectar eating birds are all asleep. With no flying foxes, there will be no gums. With no gum trees there will be no koalas. The implications are endless!
Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park’s new flying fox camp cost $30,000 to construct in 2009. Donors contributed $10,200 and the rest was covered by Walkabout Park’s owners. Flying foxes are expensive to care for as they must get large quantities of fresh fruit each day. Woolworths in Erina Fair contributes some of the fruit these animals need, but more donors are needed. If you can help, please let us know.
