Black Flying Fox Pteropus Alecto Research Articles

“Someday we will all learn anew through hands that love us”: Protecting a key insular population of the Sulawesi Fruit Bat Acerodon celebensis

“Someday we will all learn anew through hands that love us”: Protecting a key insular population of the Sulawesi Fruit Bat <i>Acerodon celebensis</i>

Breeding behaviour and diet of Rufous Owls Ninox rufa in the Darwin Botanic Gardens

The breeding cycle of a pair of Rufous Owls Ninox rufa was observed over five breeding seasons, 2016–2020, in the Darwin Botanic Gardens, Northern Territory. A pair failed or did not breed in four of those years and raised one fledgling in 2018. The Owls occupied a hollow 2.5 m above ground in the trunk of an exotic Earpod Tree Enterolobium cyclocarpum. In 2018, laying occurred sometime between 11 June and 2 July, hatching between 21 and 25 July, and fledging (first true flight) on 6 September, with branching on 2–5 September, giving a nestling period of 44–48 days. The juvenile remained dependent until mid November, giving an estimated post-fledging dependence period of 10 weeks. For the following 3 weeks, it roosted alone within its natal home range, increasingly far (270–320 m) from the nest tree and roosting adults. Calling behaviour (including duetting by the pre-laying pair), courtship, copulation and parental behaviour and routines are described. From observations and pellet analysis, the Owls’ diet consisted of 78% mammals [Common Brushtail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula arnhemensis, flying-foxes (probably all Black Flying-foxes Pteropus alecto) and rats (probably Black Rats Rattus rattus)] and 22% birds (passerines and non-passerines up to Orange-footed Scrubfowl Megapodius reinwardt in size) by number.

Molecular characterisation of Toll-like receptors in the black flying fox Pteropus alecto

Bats are believed to be reservoir hosts for a number of emerging and re-emerging viruses, many of which are responsible for illness and mortality in humans, livestock and other animals. In other vertebrates, early responses to viral infection involve engagement of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which induce changes in gene expression collectively leading to an “antiviral state”. In this study we report the cloning and bioinformatic analysis of a complete set of TLRs from the black flying fox Pteropus alecto, and perform quantitative tissue expression analysis of the nucleic acid-sensing TLRs 3, 7, 8 and 9. Full-length mRNA transcripts from TLRs homologous to human TLRs 1–10 were sequenced, as well as a nearly intact TLR13 pseudogene that was spliced and polyadenylated. This prototype data can now be used to design functional studies of the bat innate immune system.

Behaviour of the Black Flying FoxPteropus alecto: 1. An Ethogram of Behaviour, and Preliminary Characterisation of Mother-Infant Interactions

The black flying fox Pteropus alecto is one of four species of flying fox found on the Australian mainland. Little information exists about the specific behaviour of this species, and no framework for the study of its behaviour has yet been constructed. In the study reported here, two P. alecto colonies were observed at two day roosts in South East Queensland, Australia, between 1998–2000. Observations focused on solitary and social actions in general and on mother-infant interactions in some detail and led to the construction of an ethogram that defines each action structurally and functionally, describing accompanying vocalisations where appropriate. Diurnal activity patterns of P. alecto throughout the year consisted predominantly of roosting, grooming and sleeping, and involved little social activity. Social interactions were largely restricted to the seasonal contexts of the birthing/rearing period of October to March and the subsequent courtship/mating season of February to April. In all, 74 behavio...

Health and conservation implications of Australian batLyssavirus

Australian bat Lyssavirus, first reported in mid-1996 from a Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto has now been isolated from two other species of flying fox, a microbat and a human, who died of a rabies-like illness. Infected animals have been identified from widely separated localities in four Australian states. It is not known definitely from which species of animal the human victim contracted the disease, which is (are) responsible for spreading it. nor whether it is an old disease or one that has recently entered Australia.The infectivity of Australian bat Lyssavirus to humans and other mammals is not known, but its close genomic and antigenic relationship to classical rabies virus suggest that it is likely to be capable of causing fatal illness in most mammalian species. Its similarity to classical rabies virus also indicates that humans and other mammals will be protected by existing rabies vaccines. The discovery of Lyssavirus in Australian bats has highlighted the need for professional and community g...