Temperature peaks killing fruit bats

[Cheryl Jones]

Temperature peaks killing off flying foxes

By Charles Clover, Environment Editor
27/11/2007
The Telegraph.co.uk

Scientists say that mass die-offs of Australian flying foxes, among the most dramatic recorded, show how the survival of whole species could be affected by climate change.

On Jan 12 2002, when temperatures exceeded 108ºF (42.9ºC) in New South Wales, 3,500 flying foxes or fruitbats in nine colonies were found dead. Most of these were the tropical black flying fox.

Read on
http://tinyurl.com/25p56q

[tallgirl]

[fuzzy-hair-man]

This was mentioned on the radio news yesterday, seems the deaths were mostly limited to the more tropical fruit bat species the other fruit bats that range further south were less effected. It seems whilst the southern range is generally cooler it does experience high extremes not seen in the tropical parts. The tropical fruit bats couldn't hack it, thier southern counterparts were better able to cope.

It's particularly worrying because scientists are finding out how important fruit bats are for pollinating and seed dispersal and a lack of fruit bats puts our rainforests at some risk.