Black Flying Fox

Pteropus alecto

Flying foxes roost in high trees in forests and woodlands, and urban areas. They can also form camps in mangrove islands in river estuaries.

The wingspan of a black flying fox is up to one metre. As the name suggests, black flying foxes are black. Some also possess orange or brown fur across their shoulders, with black opaque wings.

The flying fox uses sight and smell to locate food. Their diet consists of fruits and flowers and the colony will fly out at dusk to feed and return in the morning to sleep.

Males and females mate in autumn with a single young born in spring. Babies, up until about one month old, are completely dependent. At two to three months old these young bats will fly out and begin to feed independently.