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Spectacled Flying-fox
Photo: Courtesy of Damon Ramsey
BSc.(Zool) Biologist Guide
Spectacled Flying-fox:
Pteropus
conspicsllatus
Characteristics:
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Has prominent pale straw-coloured
rings around its eyes suggesting
spectacles.
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It is a placental mammal of wet tropical rainforests.
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Weight ranges from 400-600g, size (head and body length) from 220-240mm, and
forearm length from 155-175mm.
Distribution and Habitat:
- Three subspecies are recognised, but only one of these is in Australia,
and this has a limited range.
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It is restricted in Australia to
the north-eastern wet regions of Queensland.
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It is found in New Guinea and offshore islands including
Woodlark, Alcester, Kiriwina and Halmahera.
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It prefers to spend its time in the upper canopy of taller trees
in the rainforest, but can also be seen in swamps and mangroves.
Diet:
- They leave the camp at dusk to search for food, with most animals streaming off
in different directions, high up and in a purposeful manner. Only a few bats will search
for food near the camp in an apparently random way.
- They are guided by their keen sense of smell, good nocturnal vision and
the feeding cries of other flying-foxes as they look for food.
- They prefer the nectar and pollen from
blossoms and fruits of forest trees and palms, especially the Northern Bloodwood
and the Apple Box.
- They also likes to
eat citrus fruits and mangoes.
- Some bats drink water while skimming over
the surfaces they leave or return to their camp.
- They have been seen drinking sea water in this way, and crocodiles have
snapped them up while doing so. Other predators include the Carpet Python and the
White-breasted Sea-eagle.
Social Behaviour:
During the day, these bats spend their time in communal camps
found in the upper canopy. A camp may consist of tens of thousands of individuals.
They rarely sleep and are easy to locate as they squawk a lot of
the time amongst themselves, making the din within a camp quite deafening.
Mating:
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Females can breed after two
years.
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Mating occurs between March and
May, with one young being born to each female from October to early
December.
Viewing Opportunities:
- The Tolga scrub in the late afternoon is a excellent
viewing area.
Additional Information:
- The Spectacled flying fox was listed as a threatened species in May 2002.
- When it takes off, it beats its wings until its body is horizontal, then releases
its grip to fly forward (usually after dropping several metres first).
- They considerably damage smaller tree branches and after stripping a batch of
trees, the colony will move 50-100m away to a new area.
- Spectacled Flying-foxes have been kept in captivity for 17 years.
Additional Information:
Courtesy of
Damon Ramsey
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They have lighter coloured fur on the back shoulders,
while the rest of the body is blackish.
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Due to it's rainforest habitat, it is thought to be an important disperser of
many of that ecosystem's fruits (Strahan 1998).
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It is the tropical rainforest equivalent
and the replacement of the black flying fox, of which it looks very similar
from a distance.
Script: Courtesy of Damon Ramsey BSc.(Zool) Biologist Guide
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