| Autor: |
Mo, Matthew, Roache, Mike, Davies, Janine, Hopper, Judith, Pitty, Hugh, Foster, Natalie, Guy, Sandra, Parry-Jones, Kerryn, Francis, Geoff, Koosmen, Audrey, Colefax, Leah, Costello, Chelsea, Stokes, Josie, Curran, Sarah, Smith, Michael, Daly, Garry, Simmons, Carla-Maree, Hansen, Rhonda, Prophet, Desley, Judge, Sara |
| Předmět: |
|
| Zdroj: |
Pacific Conservation Biology; 2022, Vol. 28 Issue 2, p124-139, 16p |
| Abstrakt: |
Mass mortalities in flying-foxes occur in summers that reach extremely hot temperatures. In this study, we examine the spatiotemporal distributions of mortality from pup abandonments and extreme heat events in Australian flying-fox camps during the 2019–20 summer. We recorded data on flying-fox mortality in known affected camps and applied a standard method to estimate the number of deaths. Pup mortalities from abandonments were recorded in 10 camps in New South Wales. A minimum estimate of 2612 flying-foxes died in pup abandonments, the majority of which occurred in one camp in Bomaderry. Die-offs from extreme heat events were recorded in 40 camps associated with eight separate heat events in south-eastern Australia. A minimum estimate of 72 175 flying-foxes died during these heat events, which all occurred within the range of the threatened grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). Further, 409 and 2251 live flying-foxes were taken into care from pup abandonments and heat events respectively. The minimum mortality estimated represents the highest recorded mortality of Australian flying-foxes within a single summer. This highlights a need to restore vegetation in flying-fox foraging areas and camps, address anthropogenic climate change and gather more empirical data to inform heat stress interventions to minimise flying-fox mortalities. Mass mortality events have important implications for wildlife conservation management. We estimated that at least 74 787 flying-foxes were killed from pup abandonments and extreme heat events during the austral summer of 2019–20. This was potentially the largest flying-fox die-off recorded to date, highlighting an urgent need to address casual factors and enhance intervention management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
