Flying foxes are starving en masse across New South Wales and parts of Victoria, with wildlife rescuers responding to a surge in reports of "exhausted and emaciated" adults and skeletal pups. Most reports involve grey-headed flying foxes, a species listed as vulnerable under federal environment laws.
Food shortages are affecting NSW, from the northern rivers to the south coast, according to the state's environment department. Rescue organisations in Victoria are also seeing an increase in callouts, particularly in East Gippsland and Castlemaine. Rachael Smethurst, bat coordinator at Fawna wildlife rescue, stated her organisation is receiving 50 to 90 calls daily, exceeding their total for the previous nine months.
The mass starvation event is likely a result of habitat loss and a dry winter, leading to poor seasonal flowering of eucalypts and other native trees, according to wildlife rescue organisation Wires. Many malnourished female flying foxes are losing their young prematurely due to a lack of nutritional health and strength.
Bats are displaying unusual behaviours, such as eating ornamental fruit trees, unripe cocos palms, and dropped fruit, and are crawling on the ground or dropping from trees due to starvation. They are also staying in backyards because they lack the energy to fly back to their camps. The NSW environment department spokesperson noted that food shortages can be aggravated by climatic events like drought and El Niño conditions.
The NSW health department has advised the community to avoid touching or handling bats, following 43 assessments for scratches or bites in the past two weeks. People are encouraged to report sick or dead bats to local wildlife rescue organisations.