By Abbas Nazil
A severe heatwave in South Australia has devastated a colony of flying foxes, wiping out more than 80 percent of the population at Naracoorte, leaving only 180 survivors, including 34 underweight and dehydrated babies.
The mass mortality event follows an earlier January heatwave that caused thousands of deaths among flying foxes, marking the most significant loss of the species since Australia’s 2019–20 black summer.
Carers at Bat Rescue SA described the situation as a devastating blow, warning that the rescued baby bats face months of recovery before they can be released back into the wild.
Reports indicated mixed outcomes from the second heatwave, with some locations experiencing higher fatalities and others fewer, partly due to the most vulnerable and young already being lost in previous events.
In Melbourne, about 100 bats died at Brimbank Park, while Wildlife Victoria estimated over 700 grey-headed flying foxes perished at a camp of 5,000 in Tatura, Victoria.
Temperatures exceeding 42°C are known to be lethal for flying foxes, and since early January, thousands have died nationwide, with Victoria alone reporting approximately 1,700 deaths across monitored camps, nearly five percent of the state’s population.
Grey-headed flying foxes, listed as vulnerable under federal environmental laws, remain the most affected species, with heat stress recognized as a key threat in the species’ recovery plan.
Efforts by volunteers, wildlife authorities, and government agencies mitigated losses in some areas through interventions such as misting bats, deploying water trailers, and providing shade, highlighting the physically and emotionally demanding nature of the rescue operations.
In Adelaide’s Botanic Park, coordinated action limited fatalities to a few hundred, with sprinklers and volunteers cooling the bats and closing the park to prevent energy-draining flight.
Carers noted the ongoing financial and logistical challenges, as rescued bats require substantial daily care, including up to 350 grams of fruit per bat, making recovery a long-term commitment.
Authorities emphasized the urgency of protecting flying fox populations and reducing risks of population collapse while continuing to support wildlife welfare in the face of increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves linked to climate change.
The events have raised concerns about the vulnerability of wildlife to extreme temperatures and the growing impact of global heating on Australian ecosystems, prompting calls for more proactive conservation and emergency response measures.