A small colony (100-5000) of Little Red Flying-foxes Pteropus scapulatusis usually resident at Mataranka Hot Springs in the semi-arid zone of the Northern Territory of Australia between October and February. In 1994-95 this changed markedly. More than 200 000 individuals were present and most did not depart until July. The colony generated a powerful smell and caused significant damage to the vegetation surrounding the Spring, resulting in conflict with tourist use of the area. Many methods were employed in attempts to shin animals, but none was successful. The situation is an extreme example of line problems caused by Australian Pteropus and highlights a general lack of informal on and effective management tecnniques for the genus and its habitats. Information on the sex ration and breeding condition of females at the colony is presented.
Skip Nav Destination
Close
Article navigation
Research Article|
March 17 2014
Flying-foxes and tourists: a conservation dilemma in the Northern Territory
Michael Vardon
;
Michael Vardon
1
Wildlife Management International Pty Limited, P.O. Box 530, Karama, Northern Territory 0812
2
School of Resource Management and Environmental Science, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200
Search for other works by this author on:
Boyd Simpson
;
Boyd Simpson
1
Wildlife Management International Pty Limited, P.O. Box 530, Karama, Northern Territory 0812
Search for other works by this author on:
David Sherwell
;
David Sherwell
3
Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory, Mataranka, Northern Territory 0852
Search for other works by this author on:
Christopher Tidemann
Christopher Tidemann
2
School of Resource Management and Environmental Science, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200
Search for other works by this author on:
Australian Zoologist (1997) 30 (3): 310–315.
Citation
Michael Vardon, Boyd Simpson, David Sherwell, Christopher Tidemann; Flying-foxes and tourists: a conservation dilemma in the Northern Territory. Australian Zoologist 1 March 1997; 30 (3): 310–315. doi: https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.1997.006
Download citation file:
Close

How do members access the full text papers?
If you are a current RZS NSW member (with publications), please access the full text of papers by visiting https://www.rzsnsw.org.au/member-centre/publications (you will be asked to log in to RZS NSW). Do not log in at the top of this page for access.
6
Views
0
Citations
Citing articles via
Two alternate states: shrub, bird and mammal assemblages differ on either side of the Dingo Barrier Fence
Charlotte H. Mills, Baptiste Wijas, Christopher E. Gordon, Mitchell Lyons, Anna Feit, Aodan Wilkinson, Mike Letnic
What is a dingo – origins, hybridisation and identity
Kylie M Cairns
Best-practice dingo management: six lessons from K’gari (Fraser Island)
Linda Behrendorff
The fauna fights back: invasive Cane Toads killed by native centipedes in tropical Australia
John Pomeroy, Gregory P. Brown, Grahame J. W. Webb, Richard Shine
Field studies of a high elevation population of northern Greater glider Petauroides volans minor in the Bluff State Forest, Far North Queensland
C.R. Starr, R.T. Hughes, M.S. Hemmings, J.F. Coase, M. D. Jess