Managing the Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus as a threatened species in NSW: adjusting to a long-term vision
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Published:2002
Peggy Eby, Daniel Lunney, 2002. "Managing the Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus as a threatened species in NSW: adjusting to a long-term vision", Managing the Grey-headed Flying-fox: As a Threatened Species in NSW, Peggy Eby, Daniel Lunney
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The effective management of the Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus as a threatened species in NSW will depend on our ability to develop and implement policies that focus on habitat conservation and enhancement. The aim is to preserve a continuous food supply for the species and an integrated network of camps as stopover habitat during migration as well as suitable roosting environments. Several ecological attributes of the Grey-headed Flying-fox make this a demanding task, in particular, its wide-ranging and nomadic habits. The long distances over which flying-foxes travel mean that there needs to be an integrated response between states, as well as a shift in thinking that encourages setting aside habitats on a broad landscape scale, irrespective of current land tenure. These conservation initiatives will have to address many hard issues being faced throughout Australia, including the need to make conservation equitable by providing incentives to encourage private landholders to retain habitat and participate more fully in conservation initiatives. In order to involve the whole community in conserving habitat for Grey-headed Flying-foxes, the community also needs to be made aware of the value of the species, including its crucial role in dispersing seeds and pollen for forest regeneration. Community education and participation will be essential to the recovery process for the species. Further, the information currently available to management is inadequate for the task, and ongoing, adaptive management will need to be underpinned by sustained research on a variety of fronts to achieve the successful transition of the Grey-headed Flying-fox from pest to threatened species and ultimately to recovery. It will take a shift in perception to adjust to adopting a long-term vision in the management of this magnificent Australian bat.