Thousands of Flying Foxes Have Died in Australia’s Heatwave

Thousands of flying foxes, one of the world’s largest bat species, died after a severe heatwave hit southeast Australia last week.

The extreme temperatures triggered widespread deaths at bat camps across New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.

Grey-headed flying foxes, which are already considered vulnerable, were hit the worst.

Tamsyn Hogarth, who leads the Fly By Night Bat Clinic, said volunteers saw thousands of dead bats at Brimbank Park, along with hundreds more fatalities at camps in Tatura and Yarra Bend Park.

Wildlife rescue groups stepped in where possible, saving dozens of young bats that were still gripping their mothers’ bodies.

Hogarth explained that without intervention, these pups would likely succumb to heat stress, hunger, or predators.

Rescuers also found many adult bats that had collapsed in the hottest parts of their camps, especially in trees with little shade or foliage.

Flying fox specialist Justin Welbergen said temperatures above 42 degrees Celsius are known to be deadly for flying foxes and can trigger mass die-offs.

He said the number of deaths from last week’s heatwave is getting close to the massive die-offs seen in 2019 and 2020.

During that period, more than 72,000 flying foxes were killed across eight extreme heat incidents.

One particularly severe heatwave in 2018 wiped out about 23,000 bats in Queensland, roughly a third of the population at the time.

Australia saw one of its most intense heatwaves in recent years last week, with temperatures hitting 43 degrees Celsius in Adelaide for two days in a row.

In Sydney and Melbourne, temperatures went up to 42 degrees, while some suburban areas recorded temperatures well into the mid to high 40s.

Welbergen said the heat puts the bats under intense strain and also makes it harder for them to fly, limiting their ability to find food.

Mothers and their pups suffered the most, which experts say makes it harder for colonies to recover after these events.

Wayne Boardman, a flying fox researcher and wildlife vet at the University of Adelaide, said bats first show clear signs of heat stress.

They often climb lower in trees, breathe heavily, and flap their wings to cool down. Some will also try to escape the heat by dipping into nearby rivers.

Once temperatures rise above 42 degrees, however, survival becomes much less likely as heat stroke and dehydration sets in.

Experts also warn that members of the public should not try to handle injured, sick, or orphaned bats themselves.

Instead, they advise contacting a local wildlife rescue group for help.

Welbergen added that flying foxes were not the only animals impacted by the heatwave. Their deaths simply tend to draw more attention since they gather in large groups and often roost in trees located in city areas.