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Black flying fox

Pteropus alecto

Photo by BarbaraSing
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

The black flying fox is Australia’s largest bat and, with an incredible wingspan of over a metre, is amongst the largest bats in the world. The body is almost completely black in colour, relieved only by an incomplete rusty-red collar and a light frosting of white-tipped hairs on the abdomen.

Habitat:

Native Fig Tree Kimberley. During the day, thousands of bats can be seen in huge, noisy colonies amongst the treetops. Come dusk, vast numbers clutter the darkening night sky as they fly off in search of food, shrieking as they go

Notes:

This bat had just been killed by a dog.

Reference Links:

Black flying fox videos, photos and facts - Pteropus alecto | ARKive

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (1)
Neil Ross
So very sad. These are beautiful animals. I had some feeding in a tree in my yard last year, on a Lilli Pilli. The lights were off, but I knew something was in the tree. As I leaned closer to get a look, I could see a silhouette, and it was upside-down. The bat dropped from the tree and I squealed like a piglet. Three flying foxes and a handful of brushtails had a very uneasy truce for several weeks. Feeding was of more importance.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Biodiversity of The Kimberley
Mission
Derby Bioblitz
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 7, 2014

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