Movements of grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) to and from colony site on the central coast of New South Wales

Abstract

Movements and numbers of grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) were recorded in and around a colony site on the central coast of New South Wales over a period of 53 months from 1986 to 1990. Daily departures from the site correlated primarily with the time of sunset. Annual occupation cycles showed wide flutuations with only one fiied period, March-May, when a mating colony of at least 20 000 bats was at the site. In most years a small nursery colony was present during October- December. Superimposed on this reproductive use of the site were highly variable patterns of occupation correlated with fluctuations in food supply. Local abundances of blossoms such as Angophorafloribunda and Eucalyptus maculata resulted in colony numbers of at least 80 000 bats.

Behaviour of the Black Flying FoxPteropus alecto: 1. An Ethogram of Behaviour, and Preliminary Characterisation of Mother-Infant Interactions

“…The formation of maternity or summer camps for the birthing of young has been well documented in the past (Ratcliffe, 1932;Nelson, 1965;Parry-Jones and Augee, 1992). Following the aggregation of females in early October, births of P. alecto in Brisbane occur from late October to late December, slightly later and more prolonged than the late September to late October period observed by previous authors (e.g., Ratcliffe, 1932;Nelson, 1965).…”

Urban habituation, ecological connectivity and epidemic dampening: the emergence of Hendra virus from flying foxes (Pteropusspp.)

“…Our study used data and modelling approaches to evaluate a set of probable contributory mechanisms underlying HeV emergence in urban and peri-urban locations in eastern Australia. Likely mechanisms consistent with the data that include: (i) An increase in urban flying fox populations allows for increased contact with humans and horses; (ii) a decrease in migratory behaviour of urban flying foxes reduces viral transmission, leading to a decline in herd immunity, and a consequent increase in the intensity of HeV outbreaks when infection is reintroduced; and (iii) synchrony of stressors on individual bats and some demographic factors, including seasonal The approximate peak timing of life-history events for P. alecto and P. poliocephalus in South Queensland [15][16][17][18] is indicated at the top of the plot.…”

Distribution and abundance of three populations of Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) from Purulia district of West Bengal, India

“…The large day roost groups of this bat are known as 'camps', which consist of several hundred to several thousand individuals (Eby 1991;Parry-Jones & Augee 1992). These camps are usually found in close association with human settlements both in villages and cities.…”