Preece, Noel (2024) Endangered Spectacled Flying-fox: a review of past and current knowledge and future needs to re-start its recovery. Australian Zoologist. (In Press)

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Abstract

The Spectacled Flying-fox has declined by 75% over the past two decades, falling in status from vulnerable to endangered even while a recovery plan was in place. This review is the first in 13 years and is necessary to bring the knowledge of the species up to date and to identify some of the most pressing issues in the bat’s conservation. Foremost among these are the already apparent extreme heat events which were not anticipated in earlier studies and plans, compounded by continuing habitat loss and declining habitat condition, deterioration of food resources that support the species, community and political pressure to disperse roosts in urban areas and diseases that disproportionately affect young and mothers in this slow-reproducing species. Perceptions of this keystone species have been coloured by the advent of Covid-19 and fears that these bats transmit coronavirus directly to humans (which they do not). It has been difficult to change negative attitudes, so better approaches to changing community perceptions are needed. Greater diligence is required to ensure recovery action is taken, to avert the threats to this keystone species and to obtain the resources to help it recover.

Item ID:	82443
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	0067-2238
Keywords:	Spectacled Fruit-bat; conflict species; recovery plans; global warming; extreme heat events; Pteropus conspicillatus; zoonotic disease; keystone species
Research Data:	http://www.biome5.com.au
Date Deposited:	03 Apr 2024 00:48
FoR Codes:	31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3103 Ecology > 310302 Community ecology (excl. invasive species ecology) @ 50% 31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3103 Ecology > 310307 Population ecology @ 50%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1806 Terrestrial systems and management > 180606 Terrestrial biodiversity @ 50% 19 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL HAZARDS > 1901 Adaptation to climate change > 190102 Ecosystem adaptation to climate change @ 25% 19 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL HAZARDS > 1905 Understanding climate change > 190504 Effects of climate change on Australia (excl. social impacts) @ 25%
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