Little red flying foresters drop in for a visit

This week has seen a return of the nomadic Little Red Flying-foxes to the Sunshine Coast area.

Environment Portfolio Councillor Jenny McKay said like many human holidaymakers this time of year, these little critters would be enjoying a brief stay on the beautiful Sunshine Coast.

“Little Red Flying-foxes travel from the northern and western areas of Queensland to feed on local flowering plants such as eucalypts, bloodwoods and myrtles,” Cr McKay said.

“They are night time pollinators and this makes Flying-foxes essential to many of our local eucalypts, whose flowers only open at night.

“By pollinating eucalypts around Queensland Flying-foxes are increasing koala habitat and keeping our native forests genetically healthy.”

Division 9 Councillor Stephen Robinson said council officers would be monitoring the Flying-fox visitors as part of the Environment Levy Program focused on protecting and enhancing the region’s valuable natural assets and wildlife.

“It has been indicated that due to the drought conditions in Western Queensland and subsequent scarcity of food resources, more Little Reds will head to food rich coastal areas such as the Sunshine Coast,” Cr Robinson said.

“These small reddish-brown mammals have been spotted in the Coolum, Maroochydore and Tooway Lake areas over the past week.

“They tend to be more vocal than Black and Grey-headed Flying-foxes and the roosts may be a bit noisier as they jostle for prime positions within the camp.

“Little Reds are generally only on the Sunshine Coast for a short time and should be returning to the maternity camps in north and western Queensland by late March.”

Interested in finding out more about Flying-foxes?  Join Martin Fingland from Geckoes Wildlife in an upcoming ‘secret life of flying-foxes’ session being run at Sunshine Coast Libraries throughout the region in February and March. Visit council’s library website for further information and to make a booking.