Flying fox

Introduction

Black flying foxes and little red flying foxes are 2 common species in the Northern Territory (NT).

They are protected in the NT and should not be interfered with without a wildlife permit.

Flying fox colonies move according to climate and the flowering and fruiting patterns of their preferred food plants.

Flying foxes mainly live in moist, warm habitats, including gullies in lowland rainforest, coastal stringybark forests and mangroves often beside a creek or water body.

Sites where young are born are very important to them and they will often return to these roosting sites.

Benefits to the ecosystem

Flying foxes are important pollinators and seed dispersers of many native plants.

Some plants rely only on flying foxes to spread their seeds.

Flying foxes cover huge distances and spread seeds and pollen as they feed.

A flying fox can spread 60,000 seeds in one night.

This increases the genetic diversity of these plants which has important health benefits for plant communities.

Flying foxes are also important for healthy ecosystems.

They provide large amounts of fertiliser and create gaps in the tree canopy that help other plants to compete.

Some trees shade ground-dwelling plants and shrubs.

By creating a gap in the canopy flying foxes allow these plants to get more sunlight, rainfall and nutrients.

Feeding

Flying foxes are nocturnal foragers that mostly feed on blossoms of eucalypts, tea-trees, grevilleas, figs and lilly pillys.

They may scavenge for fruit, nectar, sap and occasionally the leaves of native plants.

They will also eat insects if blossoms are unavailable.

Flying foxes usually find their food locally, within 5km to 15km of their roosting site.

If necessary though, they will travel up to 50km for food.

Interactions with people

Flying foxes take advantage of reliable food supplies, moist habitats and well lit conditions. They will often live near people.

Read what to do if you have flying foxes near your home or on your property.

In urban areas, flying foxes can be considered a nuisance because of their odour, noise and droppings.

Roosting activities can also damage the vegetation at roosting sites particularly when they are in small patches of vegetation.

Flying foxes are difficult to handle and only people that are vaccinated and trained in the care of these animals should do so.

Read more about caring for flying foxes.

Australian bat lyssavirus

Australian bat lyssavirus has been identified in the little red flying fox and the black flying fox.

Before handling or caring for these animals, you should be vaccinated.

Read more on the Australian bat lyssavirus.

Flying foxes near your home

If you have problems with flying foxes near your home, you can take the following actions:

  • remove tall trees that may be chosen as roosting sites
  • limit the use of loud machinery such as chainsaws and lawn mowers which can reduce the noise that flying foxes make when they are disturbed
  • prune trees to reduce protection offered to flying foxes - they will select shady trees, so pruned trees are less attractive
  • reduce the availability of fruit by tying bags around developing fruit on trees and remove excess fruit
  • cover vehicles to stop damage caused by bat droppings.

Do not handle flying foxes.

If flying foxes have recently moved to your property, you can use air horns or make loud noises using pots to encourage them to move to another area.

Report flying foxes

For more information, contact Parks and Wildlife.

Read how to report sick or injured wildlife or about flying fox management in Katherine.


Flying foxes near your home

Flying foxes are a protected species the Northern Territory (NT).

Flying foxes are one of the most important pollinators of trees across the NT so are vital to the Territory's ecosystem.

Flying foxes on your property

If you have flying foxes on your property, contact your local Parks and Wildlife office for advice.

Trained staff may advise you to try any of the following actions:

  • remove or prune tall trees that may be chosen by flying foxes as roosting sites
  • tie bags around developing fruit on your fruit trees and remove any excess fruit
  • cover your vehicles and washing lines with a tarpaulin to protect them from flying fox droppings
  • if flying foxes have recently moved to your backyard, you can encourage them to move on by making loud noises with an air horn or banging on pots.

If flying foxes have young, do not disturb them. Wait until the colony moves on, or the young are weaned and can relocate themselves to another site, before taking action.

If you find an injured flying fox

If you find an injured flying fox, contact your local Parks and Wildlife office or wildlife rescue group. They will aim to collect and care for the animal.

Flying foxes are difficult to handle, and only people that are vaccinated and trained in the care and rehabilitation of these animals should do so.

Australian bat lyssavirus

You must not handle or interfere with flying foxes.

Like all Australian bat species, flying foxes carry diseases such as Australian bat lyssavirus (ABL) that can be fatal if transmitted to humans.

You can be exposed to ABL if you come into contact with infected saliva through your eyes, nose and mouth, or if you are bitten or scratched by an infected animal.

You should assume that any bat you find might carry the disease.

The behaviour of a bat does not reveal if the animal is infected.

If you're bitten or scratched by a flying fox or bat, flush the wound with fresh water and seek medical help immediately.

Contact or exposure to bat urine, faeces or blood does not pose a risk of transmitting ABL.

You're also not at risk by living, playing or walking near or underneath a roost or colony.


Australian bat lyssavirus

Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) is a virus of flying foxes which can, in rare cases, cause fatal disease of the nervous system in people and animals.

All Australian bat species can carry the virus. It's present in less than one per cent of the wild bat population, although up to 30% of sick, injured or orphaned bats can be affected.

ABLV is closely related to rabies, which is not found in Australia.

Since 2000, it has been confirmed in Northern Territory (NT) bats 4 times, however there has been no infection of humans or other animals.

Veterinarians and pet owners should be aware of the risk of ABLV. They also need to know what to do if a sick or injured bat is found, or a pet or person is exposed to the virus.

Information for veterinarians

Veterinarians, veterinary assistants and carers handling bats should have a current rabies vaccination.

For more information and advice about handling bats and animals that could be infected with ABLV, read the:

If you're treating pets which have been exposed to bats, use the following application.

Application for use of rabies vaccine for ABLV post exposure prophylaxis PDF (594.9 KB)
Application for use of rabies vaccine for ABLV post exposure prophylaxis DOCX (64.2 KB)

To use the rabies vaccine or supply it to others, you must also get a permit from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).

For more information, go to the APVMA website.

Information for pet owners

For advice on what to do if you find a sick or injured bat, or you suspect your pet has been scratched or bitten by a bat, read the following fact sheet.

ABLV information for pet owners fact sheet PDF (2.6 MB)
ABLV information for pet owners fact sheet DOCX (57.9 KB)

If your pet has been tested for ABLV, you should take precautions while waiting for the test results. To find out more, read the fact sheet.

Waiting for ABLV test results fact sheet PDF (2.5 MB)
Waiting for ABLV test results fact sheet DOCX (62.7 KB)

More information

For more information, read ABLV.

Wildlife Health Australia also supports a group with an interest in bat health issues. For more information, go to their website.


Flying fox management in Katherine

The black flying fox and the little red flying fox roost in Katherine at various times throughout the year.

Flying foxes are important to the Northern Territory's (NT) natural environment as they spread seeds and pollinate many native plant species.

The relationship between humans and flying foxes in urban areas has been a long term problem in towns and visitor facilities in the Katherine region.

Reducing flying fox impact

Parks and Wildlife in Katherine has been working to reduce human and flying fox interaction by aiming to reduce how often flying foxes roost in Katherine and to educate the community about living with wildlife.

To reduce the impact of flying foxes Parks and Wildlife, do all of the following:

  • encourage residents to prune or lop roosting trees like African mahogany
  • encourage tree lopping and pruning of preferred flying fox roosting sites on public land around Katherine
  • monitor the habits and movements of flying fox species
  • educate the public on how to reduce potential flying fox roosts around town through alternative garden plants and other means such as approved disturbance techniques
  • encourage planting of alternative plant species that are less attractive to flying foxes.

Community engagement officers are also available to present bat chat talks to schools or community groups.

Handling and health

Only people that have been vaccinated and trained in the care and rehabilitation of these animals should care for flying foxes.

Before handling or caring for flying foxes, you should be vaccinated against the Australian bat lyssavirus, which has been identified in the little red flying fox, the black flying fox and microbats.

The virus can be transmitted from flying fox and bat saliva to humans through bites and scratches.

If you are scratched or bitten by a flying fox, wash the wound thoroughly with soap under running water.

Cover the wound and seek medical advice at your nearest hospital or clinic immediately.

Fruit soiled by flying fox urine or faeces should be washed before consumption.

Contact

If you find a sick or injured flying fox, call Parks and Wildlife in Katherine on 08 8973 8888 or the Wildlife Rescue Service on 0412 955 336

For more information on Australian bat lyssavirus, call the Centre for Disease Control on 08 8973 9049

For bat chats in the Katherine area, call Community Engagement on 08 8973 8865.

In the Darwin area, call 08 8999 4432.