Christmas Island Flying-Fox and Pipistrelle Bat Brochure
Environment Australia, 2007
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About the Brochure
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.
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.
The small 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.
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.
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