MidCoast Council Flying-fox Camp Management Plan
Species profiles Black flying-fox (Pteropus alecto)
Figure 1a
Black flying-fox indicative species distribution (adapted from DPIE 2019a)
The black flying-fox (BFF) (Figure 1a) has traditionally occurred throughout coastal areas from Shark Bay in Western Australia, across northern Australia, down through Queensland and into New South Wales (Churchill 2008; DPIE 2019a). Since it was first described there has been a substantial southerly shift by the BFF (Webb & Tidemann 1995). They forage on the fruit and blossoms of native and introduced plants (Churchill 2008; DPIE 2019a), including orchard species at times. BFF are largely nomadic animals with movement and local distribution influenced by climatic variability and the flowering and fruiting patterns of their preferred food plants. Feeding commonly occurs within 20 kilometres of the camp site (Markus & Hall 2004). BFF usually roost beside a creek or river in a wide range of warm and moist habitats, including lowland rainforest gullies, coastal stringybark forests and mangroves. During the breeding season, camp sizes can change significantly in response to the availability of food and the arrival of animals from other areas.
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