Sydney Heatwave Kills Hundreds of Flying Foxes

Hundreds of flying foxes in the Greater Sydney area were found dead amidst an extreme heatwave that struck Sydney on January 7.Carers and volunteers said it was “dreadful and heartbreaking” to find the bat corpses on Sunday, when temperatures reached a peak of 47.1 degrees Celsius, with many still hanging dead from trees and others scattered along the ground. Despite attempts to re-hydrate and rescue them, at least two hundred bats from a local colony in Campbelltown died in the heat.“So many little lives lost due to the extreme heat and not enough canopy cover to shade them or keep them cool,” animal carers in southwest Sydney said on Facebook. “Adults sought out shade and more shelter further up the creek resulting in many babies being left behind to deal with the heat. any pups were on their last lot of breaths before getting much needed help.”Similar scenes occurred in February 2017, when over 700 grey-headed flying foxes were found dead in Singleton, NSW, during a record-breaking heatwave. The flying fox is listed as an endangered species. Credit: Facebook/Help Save the Wildlife and Bushlands in Campbelltown via Storyful