Full Breakdown
Flying Foxes Face Mass Starvation Across New South Wales and Victoria
By Drooid · · How we work
The Crisis Unfolds
Grey-headed flying foxes (*Pteropus poliocephalus*), listed as vulnerable, are facing severe starvation in New South Wales (NSW) and parts of Victoria. Wildlife-rescue organisations report daily surges of “exhausted and emaciated” adults and skeletal pups. Calls for assistance have risen to 50–90 per day at FAWNA wildlife rescue on the NSW mid-north coast—far exceeding the total bat callouts the organisation received in the previous nine months. Bats are abandoning roosts, entering backyards to feed on ornamental fruit trees and coconut palms, crawling on the ground for unripe fruit, and many are falling from trees. Premature births are widespread; pups weighing as little as 38 g (normal newborn ? 80–90 g) are being found, many dead or requiring intensive care.
Background: Habitat Loss and Weather Pressures
Rescue groups attribute the event to habitat loss, a dry winter, and poor seasonal flowering of eucalypts and other native trees. The NSW environment department notes that drought and El Niño conditions can aggravate food shortages, though it has not confirmed a definitive cause. Similar patterns have been reported in Victoria, with increased callouts in East Gippsland and Castlemaine. Construction work at Melbourne’s Yarra Bend camp has also disrupted local roosting sites.
On-the-Ground Reports
Volunteers across the Shoalhaven, Kempsey, and other coastal sites are caring for dozens of emaciated bats. WRSC (Wildlife Rescue South Coast) is tending to 53 flying foxes at its Nowra clinic while responding to calls that can be an hour away. Staff report extreme fatigue; one carer has not slept for 48 hours due to the constant need for two-hourly feeds. Dr Vere Nicolson (Wires wildlife vet) describes caring for premature pups as “labour-intensive and not universally successful.” Tamsyn Hogarth, director of the Fly By Night Bat Clinic, warns that the loss of many pups will have a “terrible ripple effect” for the species.
Official Statements & Responses
- A spokesperson for the NSW environment department said food shortages can be worsened by drought and El Niño, but the precise trigger remains unknown.
- The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water echoed this uncertainty, stating there’s no confirmed cause for the emaciation and premature births.
- NSW Health advised the public to avoid handling bats and noted 43 recent assessments for bat-related scratches or bites.
- Rescue organisations have urged residents to report sick or dead bats so volunteers can assess pups and provide rehabilitation where possible.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- While the NSW environment department links the shortages to climatic factors, the Climate Change department describes the situation as a “mystery.”
- Testing by the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health confirmed severe emaciation in cadavers, yet no definitive link to specific environmental or anthropogenic factors has been established.
- Exact numbers of dead flying foxes remain unverified; volunteers estimate “potentially in the thousands,” but precise counts await the end of the season.
What’s Next
Rescue groups continue to seek additional volunteers and funding for veterinary care, including the costly lyssavirus vaccine required for safe handling. State agencies have indicated that monitoring will persist through the remainder of the birthing season, with further assessments planned once the crisis subsides.