New Grey-headed flying fox colonies to emerge across South Australia due to food shortages

For over a decade, grey-headed flying foxes have called SA home with new camps forming due to food shortages. Find out why.

With their metre-long wings and ear splitting screeches, it’s hard to miss the sight of the grey-headed flying foxes soaring through the skies in search of a feast of fruit and seeds each night.

Since settling in South Australia over a decade ago, Botanic Park has become home to around 46,000 flying foxes, also known as fruit bats, forming the state’s largest megabat colony.

Despite the large CBD colony it is expected that smaller camps will be established across the state due to food sources running scarce, said Green Adelaide ecologist Jason van Weenen.

“SA’s colony of grey-headed flying foxes has grown over the years to the point where it now fluctuates with the local availability of food resources,” he said.

“In recent years we’ve seen rises and falls in the number of bats within the Botanic Park camp, reflecting changes in the availability of food.

“Despite the current large colony in Adelaide, it is anticipated that food resources will run short soon when key Eucalypt species finish flowering, forcing a large number of the bats to leave to find food elsewhere.

Flying foxes are increasing in numbers. Photo: Tim Pascoe

“Colonies found in the south east of SA are much smaller in size (5000 or less) and many of the other camps have been seasonal camps due to the lack of a continuous supply of food in some areas.”

Young bats will also venture further from the camp to forage on their own for the first time in February and March.

However, they tire easily and often cause outages during this time by resting on power lines resulting in SA Power Networks installing frisbee-like animal guards to powerlines most affected.

“Like teenagers learning the lay of the land, these young bats can be naive, which can get them into trouble,” Mr van Weenen said.

“They can come into contact with power line infrastructure, resulting in mortality or serious injury for the young bats.

“SA Power Networks have been installing animal guards to protect our power, as well as the bats.

“These frisbee-like disc devices prevent the youngsters from landing in places that are a danger to them, or that would cause an outage.”

Botanic Park has become home to around 46,000 flying foxes.

With Fringe-time fast approaching, Mr van Weenen encouraged all Adelaideans to take advantage of seeing the megabats take to the night sky.

“Many people will see the bats flying overhead at dusk to forage, and it is a spectacle to see and enjoy,” he said.

“Especially as we head toward Fringe time, it’ll be a great opportunity for Adelaideans to appreciate this unique and threatened bat species.

While harmless in themselves, if you come across a bat in distress it is important not to touch it, he said.

“All bat species may be carriers of lyssavirus, and so it is best to leave any handling of bats to those who are both trained and vaccinated.

“Rescue organisations like Fauna Rescue or Bat Rescue SA play an important role in care of grey-headed flying foxes, you can contact Fauna Rescue on 8486 1139 or Bat Rescue SA on 0475 132 093 to help.”