Christmas Island flying-fox and pipistrelle bat brochure
Parks Australia, 2007
Christmas Island flying-fox and pipistrelle bat brochure (PDF - 1 MB)
Christmas Island is home to the Christmas Island flying-fox, Pteropus natalis, and pipistrelle bat, Pipistrellus murrayi. Both species are endemic to the island and recent research indicates that both species have undergone severe population decline since the late 1980s. They are classed as critically endangered, the highest category of threat recognised by the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The research suggests that the decline in population for both of the species is continuing and that they are on the brink of extinction.
Flying foxes
The Christmas Island flying fox, Pteropus natalis is restricted to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Flying foxes are vegetarian, feeding on fruits, flowers and leaves. Their role as a pollinator and disperser of seeds for many native trees manes them a major keystone species and the maintenance of Christmas Island's forest ecosystems.
The Christmas Island flying-fox is vegetarian and feeds on fruits, flowers and leaves. They pollinate and disperse seeds for many of the native trees, which makes them a major keystone species in the maintenance of Christmas Island's forest ecosystems.
Flying foxes have complex social and breeding structures. They roost communally by day in clusters of trees known as 'camps'. Camps appear in traditional locations and persist for decades. Their camps are always near the coast. Coastal winds provide easier take off from roost sites and also cause a rising current that the flying foxes and glide on up to the plateau in their search for food.
Christmas Island flying foxes have abandoned the usual nocturnal habits of their family group to a great extent. They often may be seen flying and circling high in the air in the hot sunlight, even at midday and they may also be seen feeding in the daytime.
As a native species it is protected from hunting and persecution throughout its range by the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Late in the afternoon or early evening at Margaret Knoll is one of the best places to watch them soaring up on the wind from from the coastal terrace to the plateau. Many fly by quite close to the viewing platform.
Recent research indicates that the Christmas Island flying fox has undergone a severe population decline since the late 1980s. It currently meets the criteria for critically endangered, the highest category of threat recognised by either the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 or the International Union of Conservation of Nature.
Pipistrelle bat
The small endemic pipistrelle bat is Christmas Island's only insectivorous bat. It weighs only 3-4.5 grams, and emerges after sunset to forage on a variety of flying insects, such as moths and beetles, along tracks and in the rainforest.
They are a forest bat and roost during the day in the small cavities in trees and vegetation.
In 2001 it was listed as Endangered under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and upgraded to Critically Endangered in 2006. Research in recent years indicates that their numbers declined sharply since the late 1980s, that the decline is continuing and that therefore the species is on the brink of extinction. The threatening processes causing the decline of this species are unknown.
Actions and research are being undertaken to find out why the flying-fox and bat are declining. If a remedy can be found, it is likely to have positive benefits on a range of endemic rainforest fauna and flora species on Christmas Island.
More information
- Christmas Island's fauna and fauna
- Final report | Christmas Island Expert Working Group to Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts 2010
- Interim report | Christmas Island Expert Working Group to Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts 2009
- Biodiversity conservation research in a changing climate 2007
- Pipistrelle National Recovery Plan 2004
