Flying foxes are damaging banana and berry crops on the NSW Mid North Coast, and growers say the losses are costly. Coffs Harbour banana grower Paul Shoker estimated more than 10,000 bananas were damaged on his farm in October alone. The bats are suspected to be starving, possibly because flowering trees have little nectar. Berry growers on the Coffs Coast report bats entering protective tunnels, and Berries Australia says some animals are dying in the nets. Growers have been advised to add netting, which adds further expense.
Wildlife experts say thousands of emaciated flying foxes are arriving at the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Sydney, a sign of a mass starvation event. Sanctuary director Ben Dessen says the numbers are unlike anything seen before. Native trees are flowering late and producing little nectar, at a time when mothers are feeding pups. Sydney Botanic Gardens chief scientist Brett Summerell links the shortage to an unusually dry winter and spring. Dessen says the sanctuary, run by volunteers and small charities, needs community support, and residents are urged not to handle sick bats.
WIRES warns that Halloween decorations, including fake spiderwebs and fairy lights, could trap native birds and bats. The warning comes as NSW experiences a severe flying fox starvation event, with adult bats and pups found in suburban gardens. WIRES urges people never to handle bats themselves, as they can carry bat lyssavirus. Decorations should be removed promptly after Halloween, and natural materials such as cotton are safer than synthetic webs. RSPCA Australia also warns pets may be harmed by chocolate, which is toxic to dogs.
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Australian flying foxes are facing a mass starvation event, following heatwaves earlier this summer that hit their populations hard. Rescue organisations across the country have received a flood of calls in recent months. Most cases involve grey-headed flying foxes, a species listed as vulnerable under federal environment laws. Shaun Dourado spoke with Professor Matthew Hayward from the University of Newcastle about the situation and the important ecological role these animals play as pollinators.
Volunteer wildlife carers say a mass starvation event along the New South Wales east coast could wipe out a generation of grey-headed flying foxes. The Shoalhaven Bat Clinic has responded to more than 500 dead or distressed animals since late September. Necropsies found the deaths were caused by dehydration and emaciation, linked to scarce nectar after a dry, warm winter. Health officials report a rise in people bitten or scratched by bats, and carers urge the public not to touch or feed them. Anyone who finds a sick or injured bat can contact WIRES.
Suspected starvation is killing grey-headed flying foxes along the east coast, and experts warn forest ecosystems could be disrupted. Wildlife carers between the New South Wales Mid North Coast and Victoria have received reports of malnourished and dying bats. The bats are thought to be short of nectar because drought has affected flowering trees. University of Newcastle conservation professor Matt Hayward said flying foxes are vital pollinators and seed dispersers. Hunter Wildlife called the deaths a crisis and urged that they be treated as a disaster.
A mass starvation event is killing flying foxes across large parts of New South Wales, wildlife group WIRES has warned. Habitat loss and a dry winter have left little nectar in flowering gums and native plants. Many animals are suffering severe emaciation and dehydration, and malnourished pregnant females are losing their young. WIRES has asked residents to remove netting and barbed wire from fruiting trees, keep dogs away from low-hanging animals, and avoid touching sick or injured flying foxes. Residents can call WIRES or a local wildlife group for help.
Flying foxes are starving and dying across large parts of NSW, according to the Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service. Habitat loss and a dry winter have left little nectar in flowering gums and native plants. Many malnourished females are losing pregnancies or giving birth to underweight pups. Animals are now feeding on the ground and drinking grass water, appearing in backyards during daylight. WIRES asks residents to remove netting and barbed wire from fruiting trees and keep dogs away from low-hanging bats.
Flying foxes are starving across New South Wales and Victoria, with rescuers reporting a surge in emaciated adults and skeletal pups. Grey-headed flying foxes, listed as vulnerable, face food shortages from the northern rivers to the south coast. Rescue organisations report increased callouts, with bats displaying unusual behaviour and many already dead. Experts attribute the crisis to habitat loss, dry winter conditions, and poor seasonal flowering.
Reports along the east coast describe a major starvation event affecting grey-headed flying foxes, a key pollinator of eastern Australia's forests. Wildlife carer Janine Davies says preliminary testing shows emaciation and dehydration. She links this to a dry winter that left eucalypts flowering with little or no nectar. Carers are also seeing large numbers of aborted and premature young this breeding season. Anyone finding a distressed bat is advised to call WIRES.
Wildlife carers across New South Wales say they have never seen so many flying foxes give birth to premature pups. Since late September, rescue groups have responded to more than 460 reports of malnourished grey-headed flying foxes. One volunteer group estimates about 95 per cent of premature pups will die in care. Volunteers say the cause of the starvation event is unknown, and an government department says temporary food shortages may be a factor but no cause is confirmed. Rescue groups have only about 40 volunteers available, and carers are feeding pups every two hours.
Wildlife rescue groups are reporting unprecedented numbers of malnourished and starving grey-headed flying foxes, particularly newborns found clinging to dead mothers. FAWNA spokesperson Kym Kilpatrick says the cause is believed to be an unusually warm winter, which has thrown the flowering eucalypts the bats rely on out of sync. Sightings of the animals have been reported in unusual places, including backyard callistemons. Grey-headed flying foxes are essential pollinators and seed dispersers for eastern Australia's rainforests and forest ecosystems. Current estimates suggest fewer than 400,000 remain nationally.
Hundreds of prematurely born flying foxes have died along the NSW east coast, with more deaths expected. Wildlife Rescue South Coast and WIRES veterinarians say starvation is the likely cause, linked to poor food availability. Investigations are ongoing to rule out other factors, such as toxins or diseases. The community is warned not to touch or feed the animals due to potential health risks.
