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Name || Little Red Flying-Fox

Scientific Name || Pteropus scapulatus

Conservation Status || Least Concern

Habitat || The little red flying-fox is such an extensive wanderer in it's search for food that it ventures from coastal rainforest to dry inland areas.

Unique Features || Flying foxes hang upside down, even when giving birth. Social Behaviour || The little red flying-fox roost in close proximity and can be found in tight clusters. The sheer weight of so many bats on a single branch often causes large limbs of rainforest trees to snap off. Bats are seen flying off in all directions as the timber crashes to the forest floor. It is a wonder they get any sleep at all! Diet || Little red flying-foxes feed mainly on eucalyptus and other Australian native blossoms. They also eat fruit. The irregular nature of it's food supply occasionally leads to raids in fruit orchards, causing considerable damage to crops, but it is not normally a serious pest. Reproduction || Camps for mating of the Little Red Flying-fox may include over 100,000 individuals. These camps are formed in November or December and territories are formed within these roosts once pairs are established. After mating the females leave to form their own camps, and may establish new camps or even join the camps of other species of fruit bat. Females are pregnant for 4 months. The population disperses in April or May, after the young are born. Life Cycle || Little red flying-foxes become sexually mature at 18 months of age. Relatives || They are related to other bat species. Interesting Facts : The little red flying-fox is an efficient climber and using its jointed thumbs as well as its feet can clamber with great agility about the branches of a tree. Breeding Programme || Wellington Zoo has four breeding pairs. Environmental Conditions || Flying foxes are normally found in Australian native bush. At Wellington Zoo || We have a total of 18 bats. Some were born at Currumbin Sanctuary, Australia. Our youngest was born in 2003. We have no New Zealand native bats at the moment.

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