Large tree that's home to Spectacled Flying foxes - you can spot some around crown of tree, Cairns, Australia

            Pteropus (suborder Yinpterochiroptera) is a genus of megabats which are among the largest in the world. They are commonly known as fruit bats or flying foxes, among other colloquial names. They live in the tropics and subtropics of Asia (including the Indian subcontinent), Australia, East Africa, and some oceanic islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. There are at least 60 extant species in the genus. Flying foxes eat fruit and other plant matter, and occasionally consume insects as well. They locate resources with their keen sense of smell. Most, but not all, are nocturnal. They navigate with keen eyesight, as they cannot echolocate. They have long life spans and low reproductive outputs, with females of most species producing only one offspring per year. Their slow life history makes their populations vulnerable to threats such as overhunting, culling, and natural disasters. Six flying fox species have been made extinct in modern times by overhunting. Flying foxes are often persecuted for their real or perceived role in damaging crops. They are ecologically beneficial by assisting in the regeneration of forests via seed dispersal. They benefit ecosystems and human interests by pollinating plants. Flying foxes are relevant to humans as a source of disease, as they are the reservoirs of rare but fatal disease agents including Australian bat lyssavirus, which causes rabies, and Hendra virus; seven known human deaths have resulted from these two diseases. Nipah virus is also transmitted by flying foxes—it affects more people, with over 100 attributed fatalities. They have cultural significance to indigenous people, with appearances in traditional art, folklore, and weaponry. Their fur and teeth were used as currency in the past. Some cultures still use their teeth as currency today. Cairns is home to a large number of flying-foxes. Most of these are  (SFFs) but at certain times of the year, small numbers of Little Red Flying-foxes can also be found. There are 44 known roost sites (or camps) across the Cairns local government area, of which six are listed as Nationally Important Camps. SFF roosts are mainly seasonal with numbers and composition of the camps changing constantly. Council sought advice from leading experts including scientists from the CSIRO and the Melbourne and Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens, to assist in formulating an holistic and long-term approach to flying-fox management. This meeting clearly indicated that eliminating flying-foxes from Cairns was neither feasible nor desirable and that strategies that minimised impacts and prevented increases in conflict needed to be identified. Based on this expert advice, Council has adopted a multi-faceted strategy to managing flying-foxes in urban areas, particularly in the Cairns city centre. It aims to balance protection of SFFs and the amenity of residents.  22633
   

Taken on: July 14, 2019

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canon 5D iv « less

Sets appears in: • winter • July more » • 2019 • canon 5D Mark iv • canon 24-70mm f4 L • flying fox • other trees • shadow « less

Groups appears in: • Canon EF 24-70 mm F4 L IS USM

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, f/4.0, 1/250 sec, 24mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens:	EF24-70mm f/4L IS USM
Aperture:	f/4.0
Exposure Time:	0.004 sec (1/250)
Focal Length:	24mm
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 12.0.1 (Windows)
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