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RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Estimating flying-fox mortality associated with abandonments of pups and extreme heat events during the austral summer of 2019–20

Matthew Mo https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2099-6020 A Z , Mike Roache A , Janine Davies B , Judith Hopper C , Hugh Pitty D , Natalie Foster E , Sandra Guy F G , Kerryn Parry-Jones https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4838-5029 H I , Geoff Francis J , Audrey Koosmen C , Leah Colefax K , Chelsea Costello L , Josie Stokes M , Sarah Curran K M , Michael Smith N , Garry Daly O , Carla-Maree Simmons G , Rhonda Hansen K , Desley Prophet K , Sara Judge K , Fiona Major P , Tamsyn Hogarth Q , Carole-Ann McGarry C , Lawrence Pope R , Stephen Brend S , Drew Coxon T , Kimberly Baker T , Kylie Kaye T , Linda Collins U , Michelle Wallis K , Rachel Brown A , Lisa Roberts V , Susan Taylor K , Tim Pearson M W , Tania Bishop X , Pauline Dunne A , Kylie Coutts-McClelland A , Lorraine Oliver A , Chris Dawe A and Justin A. Welbergen Y
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Biodiversity, Conservation and Science; Saving our Species program, 4 Parramatta Square, 12 Darcy Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia (M. Mo, M. Roache, R. Brown); Hunter Central Coast Branch, 26 Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle, NSW 2300, Australia (P. Dunne); South East Branch, Level 3, Farrer Place, Queanbeyan, NSW 2620, Australia (L. Oliver); 84 Crown Street, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia (K. Coutts-McClelland); North West Branch, 48–52 Wingewarra Street, Dubbo, NSW 2830, Australia (C. Dawe).

B Shoalhaven Bat Clinic and Sanctuary, Wildlife Rescue South Coast, Bomaderry, NSW 2541, Australia.

C Hunter Wildlife Rescue (Native Animal Trust Fund), Shortland, NSW 2307, Australia.

D Friends of Glebe Wetlands, Bega, NSW 2550, Australia.

E Eurobodalla Shire Council, Vulcan Street, Moruya, NSW 2537, Australia.

F Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Environment Line, Business Information and Services, 4 Parramatta Square, 12 Darcy Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia.

G Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Services, Lindfield, Sydney, NSW 2070, Australia.

H Wildlife Animal Rescue and Care Society, Gosford, NSW 2250, Australia.

I School of Life and Environmental Science, Heydon-Laurence Building, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

J Oatley Flora and Fauna Conservation Society, Oatley, Sydney, NSW 2223, Australia.

K Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service, Brookvale, Sydney, NSW 2100, Australia.

L Ku-ring-gai Council, 818 Pacific Highway, Gordon, Sydney, NSW 2072, Australia.

M Ku-ring-gai Bat Conservation Society, Gordon, Sydney, NSW 2072, Australia.

N Shoalhaven City Council, 36 Bridge Road, Nowra, NSW 2541, Australia.

O Gaia Research, North Nowra, NSW 2541, Australia.

P ACT Wildlife, Kambah, ACT 2902, Australia.

Q Fly By Night Bat Clinic, Melbourne, Vic 3788, Australia.

R Friends of Bats and Bushcare, North Carlton, Melbourne, Vic 3054, Australia.

S Parks Victoria, Yarra Bend Park, Yarra Bend Road, Fairfield, Melbourne, Vic 3078, Australia.

T Port Stephens Council, 116 Adelaide Street, Raymond Terrace, NSW 2324, Australia.

U Fauna Rescue of South Australia, Modbury North, Adelaide, SA 5092, Australia.

V Friends of Bats and Habitat Gippsland, Bairnsdale, Vic 3875, Australia.

W Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.

X University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.

Y Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW 2753, Australia.

Z Corresponding author. Email: matthew.mo@environment.nsw.gov.au

Pacific Conservation Biology 28(2) 124-139 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC21003
Submitted: 28 January 2021  Accepted: 12 April 2021   Published: 13 May 2021

Journal Compilation © CSIRO 2022 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND

Abstract

Mass mortalities in flying-foxes occur in summers that reach extremely hot temperatures. In this study, we examine the spatiotemporal distributions of mortality from pup abandonments and extreme heat events in Australian flying-fox camps during the 2019–20 summer. We recorded data on flying-fox mortality in known affected camps and applied a standard method to estimate the number of deaths. Pup mortalities from abandonments were recorded in 10 camps in New South Wales. A minimum estimate of 2612 flying-foxes died in pup abandonments, the majority of which occurred in one camp in Bomaderry. Die-offs from extreme heat events were recorded in 40 camps associated with eight separate heat events in south-eastern Australia. A minimum estimate of 72 175 flying-foxes died during these heat events, which all occurred within the range of the threatened grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). Further, 409 and 2251 live flying-foxes were taken into care from pup abandonments and heat events respectively. The minimum mortality estimated represents the highest recorded mortality of Australian flying-foxes within a single summer. This highlights a need to restore vegetation in flying-fox foraging areas and camps, address anthropogenic climate change and gather more empirical data to inform heat stress interventions to minimise flying-fox mortalities.

Keywords: climate change, extreme weather, heat stress, Pteropus poliocephalus, summer, threatened species, wildlife conservation, wildlife rehabilitation.


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