As you may be aware, we have a small colony of the Grey Headed Flying Fox (GHFF) roosting in Aleppo Pines in Botanic Park . This is the same colony that originally set up shop and bred in the Botanic Gardens last year.

These animals are listed as a threatened species nationally and therefore the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is keen to ensure that disturbance is kept to a minimum. At the moment that means keeping an eye on them regularly and paying particular attention to activities in the area that may disrupt the colony inappropriately and avoiding them wherever possible.

GHFFs are very easily frightened, particularly in the morning when they come back to roost after foraging for fruits and flowers all around Adelaide overnight. As DENR wishes to keep them in their current location, the Zoo and others are being asked to keep noisy activities/equipment away from them in the morning, with a preference for such activities to be carried out as late in the day as practically possible. Often DENR has a person monitoring the colony.

The Zoo is a member of a GHFF committee that has been set up to ensure all voices are heard and that the management of GHFF goes smoothly. The future of this colony is unknown. No one knows if they will pack up shop and fly back east sometime this winter or try and stick it out over the summer when high temperatures will be a challenge.

Hope you enjoy the bats while they are here!

Simon Habel
Director, Conservation Ark