The grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a megabat native to Australia and the largest bat in Australia. It shares mainland Australia with three other Pteropus species, the little red, the spectacled and the black flying fox. It is endemic to the south-eastern forested areas of Australia, principally east of the Great Dividing Range, with a range from about Bundaberg in Queensland to Geelong in Victoria and outlying colonies at Ingham and Finch Hatton in the north and Adelaide in the south. In the south of its range it occupies more extreme latitudes than any other Pteropus species. As of 2021 it is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and by the Australian Government.
Facts
Classification
Population Trend System (Realm) Relationship to PeopleAgricultural or Structural Pest 1 Living or Extinct Conservation Status Activity Pattern Comparison
CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Grey-headed flying fox (Wikipedia)
In Biome
Source Grey-headed flying fox (Wikipedia)
Source Grey-headed flying fox (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Grey-headed flying fox (Wikipedia)Distribution, AustraliaQuote, Distribution, Australia
The grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a megabat native to Australia.
Sources
1. Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan Museum of Zoology): Animal Diversity Web: Pteropus poliocephalus
Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan Museum of Zoology)Conservation Status
CITES No special status
Food Habits, Primary Diet
Primary Diet herbivore herbivore frugivore frugivore
Behavior, Key Behaviors
Key Behaviors arboreal arboreal flies nocturnal nocturnal motile motile migratory migratory territorial territorial social social colonial colonial
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Negative Impacts crop pest
Habitat, Habitat Regions
terrestrial
View the Source 2. Grey-headed flying fox (Wikipedia)
Distribution, Australia
The grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a megabat native to Australia.
Diet, nectar
The grey-headed flying fox is the only mammalian nectarivore and frugivore to occupy substantial areas of subtropical rainforests, so is of key importance to those forests.
Article text, lifespan
One study found that in the wild individuals live on average 7.1 years and can live as long as 18 years.
Article text, population
An estimate for the species in 2019 put the number at 586,000 and the national population may have declined by over 30% between 1989 and 1999 alone.
Child Taxon Of: Pteropodidae, Lead
The grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a megabat native to Australia.
In Group: Bats (Chiroptera), Lead
The grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a megabat native to Australia.
In Biome: Tropical Rainforest, Habitat, tropical rainforest
Grey-headed flying foxes live in a variety of habitats, including rainforests, woodlands, and swamps.
In Biome: Mangrove Forest, Habitat, mangrove forest
Roost vegetation includes rainforest patches, stands of melaleuca, mangroves, and riparian vegetation, but roosts also occupy highly modified vegetation in urban areas.
View the Source3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF): GBIF species 5218655: species profile of Pteropus poliocephalus
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)speciesProfilesQuote, speciesProfiles
"extinct": false
4. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF): GBIF species 5218655: IUCN Red List category of Pteropus poliocephalus
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)iucnRedListCategoryQuote, iucnRedListCategory
"category": "VULNERABLE"
5. AnAge (Human Ageing Genomic Resources): AnAge entry for Pteropus poliocephalus
AnAge (Human Ageing Genomic Resources)Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits: Maximum longevityQuote, Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits: Maximum longevity
Maximum longevity 23.6 years (captivity)
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