A devastating blow: Thousands of flying foxes have perished in a recent Australian heatwave, marking the worst mass-mortality event for these creatures since the infamous 'Black Summer' of 2019-20. This is a stark reminder of the escalating impact of climate change on our wildlife.
Last week, southeast Australia was scorched by a brutal heatwave. The extreme temperatures led to the tragic deaths of countless flying foxes across South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales. The grey-headed flying fox, already listed as vulnerable under federal environment laws, suffered the most.
Volunteers from the Fly by Night Bat Clinic in Melbourne witnessed the heartbreaking scene firsthand. Director Tamsyn Hogarth reported thousands of dead bats at Brimbank Park, with hundreds more found at camps in Yarra Bend and Tatura. The dedication of wildlife volunteers is commendable, as they tirelessly worked to rescue dozens of vulnerable pups clinging to their deceased mothers. "These orphans will slowly die of heat stress, starvation or predation if they aren’t found," Hogarth explained. Sadly, countless adults also succumbed to the heat, unable to cope with the scorching conditions in areas with limited shade.
But here's where it gets controversial... Despite the heroic efforts of volunteers, the death toll is estimated to be staggering: at least 1,000-2,000 flying foxes in South Australia, thousands in Victoria, and up to 1,000 in New South Wales. Professor Justin Welbergen, an expert in flying foxes at Western Sydney University, noted that temperatures exceeding 42 degrees Celsius are known to cause mortality in these animals, sometimes on a massive scale.
This recent event is the most significant mass mortality since the devastating 'Black Summer,' during which over 72,000 flying foxes died in eight separate extreme heat events. In 2018, a single heatwave wiped out 23,000 endangered spectacled flying foxes in Queensland, representing a third of their population at the time.
The recent heatwave saw Adelaide reaching 43°C on consecutive days, with Melbourne and Sydney surpassing 42°C. Even regional areas experienced maximum temperatures in the mid-to-high 40s. Welbergen highlighted the 'double-whammy' effect of the heat, which directly stressed the animals while also impeding their ability to find food, as it made flying more difficult and reduced the availability of nectar from eucalyptus flowers. Mothers and pups were particularly vulnerable, hindering the population's ability to recover.
Dr. Wayne Boardman, a wildlife veterinarian and flying fox researcher at the University of Adelaide, described the initial signs of distress: "They fan their wings, they start to move down the trees, they pant a bit, some try to fly to dip in the river." However, above 42°C, dehydration and heat stroke make survival incredibly difficult.
The public was strongly advised not to attempt rescues themselves but to contact local wildlife organizations. Lisa Palma, the chief executive of Wildlife Victoria, emphasized the organization's increased emergency response capacity to deal with the surge in cases, including deploying their traveling veterinary service to a critical flying fox colony. "Heat events like this can be catastrophic for native wildlife," Palma stated. "Unlike us, our native animals can’t escape the heat and are highly vulnerable to dehydration, disorientation, burns and even blindness."
Welbergen also pointed out that flying foxes are not the only wildlife affected, but their deaths are often more visible due to their habit of roosting in large numbers in trees, often in urban areas. He described them as "canaries in the coal mine," serving as an indicator of the broader impact of global heating on other species as the frequency and intensity of hot days and heatwaves increase.
The emotional toll on volunteers and the under-resourced veterinary sector is significant. Hogarth expressed the immense strain, stating, "We’ve been hit with a terrible season for orphaned pups. We were already at breaking point and dreading what the hot weather would bring - now our worst fears have been realised." The lack of a national wildlife rescue strategy further exacerbates the challenges.
What do you think? Are we doing enough to protect these vulnerable creatures and their habitats? What more could be done to mitigate the effects of climate change on wildlife? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
