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The most commonly seen bat in the Sydney area is the Grey-headed Flying-fox, a large nectar- and fruit-eating bat which roosts during the day in large treetop colonies.
The Grey-headed Flying-fox is listed as a threatened (vulnerable to extinction) species at State, Federal, and International levels.
Numbers are declining - from many millions in the 1930's to less than 450,000 in 2004, with an estimated 30% decline in population between 1990 and 2000. A recent population study (Divljam 2008) suggests the Grey-headed Flying-fox will be extinct in the wild in around 80-85 years.
Around 19 species of insect-eating Microbats are also found in the Sydney Region.
ACTION ALERT! The NSW Government still issues licences to farmers, on request, to shoot flying-foxes. The shooting of flying-foxes as a means of Fruit Crop Protection must stop NOW. - Shooting Flying-foxes is an act of cruelty
- The Grey-headed Flying-fox is a threatened species, with the population in decline
- Flying-foxes are a keystone species and are essential for maintaining the health of our ecosystems
For more details, explanations, evidence, and actions Click here Ku-ring-gai Bat Conservation Society has endorsed the document
"Why NSW should ban the shooting of flying-foxes"
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Why are bats important? - Nectar- and fruit-feeding bats are vital to forest regeneration as pollinators and dispersers of rainforest seeds
- Insect-eating bats play an important role in the natural control of insect populations
Why have population numbers declined? - Loss of habitat due to clearing of native vegetation
- Disturbance and removal of camps and roosts
- Shooting as a crop protection measure
- Electrocution on power lines
- Entanglement in incorrectly netted backyard fruit trees
How can bats be conserved? - Protect their camp sites
- Protect their food resources
- Sustainably manage our ecological systems of which they are an integral part
Who is the Ku-ring-gai Bat Conservation Society? - KBCS Inc. is a non profit community organization working for the conservation of all bat species especially the Grey-headed Flying-fox
- The continued work of KBCS Inc. is reliant on receiving government grants and public donations
What can you do to conserve bats? - Join Ku-ring-gai Bat Conservation Society Inc. and receive the Friends of Bats newsletter
- If you live in Sydney you can:
- Help with the habitat restoration project
- Help with the community education program
- Give a tax deductible donation to the Bat Conservation Gift Fund
Last modified by Tim Pearson on 11 December 2008
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