LOOK OUT! LOOK OUT!
THERE ARE FLYINGFOXES ABOUT!
www.logan.qld.gov.au
Flying-Foxes in Logan
Hey there! I am Freddie the flying-fox!
I spend my time cruising around South
East Queensland, munching away on
native fruits and visiting my friends
and family. Myself, my family and my
mates pollinate native trees and
disperse native seeds. By doing this
we are supporting Logan’s beautiful
natural areas and playing an essential
role in keeping our environment
healthy!
I’m here to teach you about flying-foxes and your safety.
Just like you, flying-foxes are mammals. Mammals are
animals that have warm blood, breathe air through a pair of
lungs, feed their babies milk, and have hair or fur. Did you
know that flying-foxes are the only mammals that can fly!
In Logan there are three species of flying-foxes (or bats)
that you may see.
1. Grey-headed flying-fox
2. Black flying-fox
3. Little-red flying-fox
Look at the pictures. Have you seen any of these animals?
What can you do to stay safe?
I am sure you are curious about the world around you and
interested in myself and my friends. To ensure the safety of
yourself, your friends and me, there are some simple
measures you can follow to act safely around flying-foxes.
1. Don’t be scared of flying-foxes flying
overhead. At night-time we are busy finding food
and keeping native forests healthy.
2. Don’t try to hurt flying-foxes. If you hurt a flyingfox you may put yourself and others at risk. They
may end up on or close to the ground where they
may scratch or bite you or other people.
3. Don’t try to touch or pick up flying-foxes –
even if it looks hurt. You are much bigger than a
flying-fox. It may get scared and try to scratch or
bite you if you go near it.
Photo: Flying-foxes in Logan: The Grey-headed flying-fox,
the Black flying-fox and the little-red flying-fox.
Source: Ku-ring-gai Bat Conservation Society Inc., Sydney
Bats, Ku-ring-gai Bat Conservation Society Inc.
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4.
5.
6.
Watch flying-foxes from a distance. You can
learn a lot about my species by watching us in real
life, either while we roost in trees, fly at night or as
part of a wildlife show! You should remain a safe
distance away from us and do not touch us. If you
follow these rules you can avoid being scratched
or bitten.
Wash your hands with soap and water after
playing outside.
Get your parents or teacher to move your toys
inside or place a cover over them before dusk to
keep them clean. At night time we go out in
search of food.
What if you get bitten or scratched?
Like all animals, including you, we carry germs. Our germs
can be passed on to you if you get scratched or bitten. This
can make you very sick. If you do get scratched or bitten by
a flying-fox you should:
1. Tell your parents, a teacher or an adult straight
away.
2. An adult can help you wash where you were
scratched or bitten with soap and water for
about five minutes.
3. They will then need to take you to a doctor
very quickly. The doctor will look at the scratch or
bite and then treat you to stop the germs making
you sick.
What should you do if you find a sick or
injured flying-fox?
Do not approach or touch the flying-fox.
Tell a parent or teacher. They will contact your local wildlife
carer (Bat Conservation & Rescue Queensland) on 0488
228 134, or RSPCA on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625), or
the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection on
1300 130 372.
Adults and kids should never attempt to rescue or handle
injured flying-foxes. If you are bitten or scratched seek
medical attention immediately.
What should you do if you find a dead
flying-fox?
Do no approach or touch the flying-fox.
Contact Council 3412 3412 to report the dead animal.
Adults and kids should never attempt to rescue or handle
flying-foxes. If you are scratched seek medical attention
immediately.
Information Sources
All About Bats of Southern Queensland http://www.allaboutbats.org.au
Queensland health - http://www.health.qld.gov.au
Myth Busters
Myth 1: Flying-foxes are dirty animals
FACT: Like your cat or dog, flying-foxes clean themselves
daily, even after feeding.
Myth 2: Flying-foxes are pests and serve no purpose in
our environment
FACT: Flying-foxes play a vital role in planting new trees in
our native forests. Flying-foxes help in pollination and seed
dispersal. No flying-fox, no tree!
Myth 3: Bats in Australia suck your blood
FACT: Blood‐sucking, or Vampire Bats, are only found in
Central and South America. There are no Vampire Bats
in Australia.
Myth 4: Flying foxes are cold
FACT: Just like you, flying-foxes are warm blooded. Flyingfoxes are warm, fuzzy and in fact quite cute!
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LOOK OUT! LOOK OUT! THERE
ARE FLYING-FOXES ABOUT!
Colour me in
Source: supercoloring
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