Nature Picture Library Feature Stories The Night Gardeners

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Also commonly known as a fruit bat, the grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is one of four mainland species of flying foxes found in Australia, along with the black flying fox (Pteropus alecto), the spectacled flying fox (Pteropus conspicillatus), and the little red flying fox (Pteropus scapulatus).

Highly social and intelligent mammals, grey-headed flying foxes can live for up to 20 years in the wild and typically give birth to just one pup per year, normally between September and December. Being highly social means they also tend to roost in large groups. These gatherings are not only important for social interactions, but are also a place for them to rest and a provide refuge during the significant phases of their annual life-cycle, such as mating, giving birth and raising their young.

Read more in our blog here or view our full story PDF, including text, here.

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Rescued and orphaned Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in captivity, feeds on the pollen of a flowering native eucalyptus tree. Fly By Night Bat clinic, Olinda, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Rescued and orphaned Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in captivity, feeds on the pollen of a flowering native eucalyptus tree. Fly By Night Bat clinic, Olinda, Victoria, Australia.

Rescued and orphaned Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in captivity, feeds on the nectar of a flowering native eucalyptus tree.?Black Rock, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Rescued and orphaned Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in captivity, feeds on the nectar of a flowering native eucalyptus tree.?Black Rock, Victoria, Australia.

Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) female hanging from the mesh of its enclosure. This enclosure will be her home for several months until she is old and strong enough to be released. F... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) female hanging from the mesh of its enclosure. This enclosure will be her home for several months until she is old and strong enough to be released. F...

Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) fly out over Melbourne city skyline looking for food during a summer sunset. Kew, Victoria, Australia. March 2017. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) fly out over Melbourne city skyline looking for food during a summer sunset. Kew, Victoria, Australia. March 2017.

Grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) carrying her pup attached to a teat. Yarra Bend Park. Kew, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) carrying her pup attached to a teat. Yarra Bend Park. Kew, Victoria, Australia.

Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) at a colony hang together at sunset on a branch over the Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) at a colony hang together at sunset on a branch over the Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia.

Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) flying just before sunset. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) flying just before sunset. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia.

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Doug Gimesy / Rescued and orphaned Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in captivity, feeds on the nectar of a flowering native eucalyptus tree. Black Rock, Victoria, Australia

Wildlife bat rescuers, Dr Paul Smith and Beverly Brown, treat a Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in their home that had been attacked by a dog after being caught in inappropriate fruit-... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Wildlife bat rescuers, Dr Paul Smith and Beverly Brown, treat a Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in their home that had been attacked by a dog after being caught in inappropriate fruit-...

Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) hangs dead between two power lines, killed by electrocution. Elwood, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) hangs dead between two power lines, killed by electrocution. Elwood, Victoria, Australia.

Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), hanging entangled in bared-wire that surrounds a factory which also had fruit trees. Clayton, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), hanging entangled in bared-wire that surrounds a factory which also had fruit trees. Clayton, Victoria, Australia.

Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) hanging entangled in urban fruit-tree netting. Despite being rescued, the netting had cut the circulation to its wing for too long and so the bat had to... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) hanging entangled in urban fruit-tree netting. Despite being rescued, the netting had cut the circulation to its wing for too long and so the bat had to...

Wildlife rescuer and head of Fly-by-Night Bat Clinic, Tamsyn Hogarth, attempting to cut down a Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), that had become entangled in barbed-wire fencing in an o... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Wildlife rescuer and head of Fly-by-Night Bat Clinic, Tamsyn Hogarth, attempting to cut down a Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), that had become entangled in barbed-wire fencing in an o...

Rescued Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) recovers in a cage in the shade, having been rescued a few minute earlier by wildlife carers during a heat stress event day at the Melbourne col... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Rescued Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) recovers in a cage in the shade, having been rescued a few minute earlier by wildlife carers during a heat stress event day at the Melbourne col...

Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) hanging dead in tree having succumbed to heat stress (like hundreds of others) on a very hot summer Melbourne day. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Austr... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) hanging dead in tree having succumbed to heat stress (like hundreds of others) on a very hot summer Melbourne day. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Austr...

Parks Victoria officer Stephen Brend holds just some of the dead Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) that were the result of a heat stress event at the Melbourne colony that day. Yarra B... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Parks Victoria officer Stephen Brend holds just some of the dead Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) that were the result of a heat stress event at the Melbourne colony that day. Yarra B...

Animal carer Bev Brown caring for a recently rescued Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) that had become entangled in barbed wire that surrounded a factory. Black Rock, Victoria, Australia... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Animal carer Bev Brown caring for a recently rescued Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) that had become entangled in barbed wire that surrounded a factory. Black Rock, Victoria, Australia...

Wildlife bat rescuers, Dr Paul Smith and Beverly Brown, treat a Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in their home, whose wind had been torn after being caught in barbed-wire. Black Rock, V... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Wildlife bat rescuers, Dr Paul Smith and Beverly Brown, treat a Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in their home, whose wind had been torn after being caught in barbed-wire. Black Rock, V...

Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) pup bottle fed by wildlife carer Bev Brown. Black Rock, Victoria, Australia. Model released. Editorial Use Only. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) pup bottle fed by wildlife carer Bev Brown. Black Rock, Victoria, Australia. Model released. Editorial Use Only.

Approximately 2 weeks premature, a rescued male baby Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), named 'Dinky' is bottle-fed by wildlife carer Bev Brown. Controlled conditions, under the supervis... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Approximately 2 weeks premature, a rescued male baby Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), named 'Dinky' is bottle-fed by wildlife carer Bev Brown. Controlled conditions, under the supervis...

Wildlife carer Julie Malherbe preparing breakfast for orphaned Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) whilst another wildlife rescuer, Graeme Linsell, doing the dishes. Heidelberg Heights,... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Wildlife carer Julie Malherbe preparing breakfast for orphaned Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) whilst another wildlife rescuer, Graeme Linsell, doing the dishes. Heidelberg Heights,...

Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) close up of foot hanging off finger of a wildlife rescuer and carer at the Fly By Night Bat clinic, Olinda, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) close up of foot hanging off finger of a wildlife rescuer and carer at the Fly By Night Bat clinic, Olinda, Victoria, Australia.

Wildlife carer Julie Malherbe looks after three recently orphaned Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) in her home whilst simultaneously taking phone calls to manage the next wildlife res... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Wildlife carer Julie Malherbe looks after three recently orphaned Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) in her home whilst simultaneously taking phone calls to manage the next wildlife res...

Wildlife carer Nardia Harding preparing lunch for Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) pup she is helping care for. Heidelberg Heights, Victoria, Australia. January 2017. Model released. Ed... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Wildlife carer Nardia Harding preparing lunch for Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) pup she is helping care for. Heidelberg Heights, Victoria, Australia. January 2017. Model released. Ed...

Injured Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), that was found exhausted and dehydrated, is hand fed fruit whilst kept comfortable and safe in an incubator at wildlife carers Julie Malherbe's... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Injured Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), that was found exhausted and dehydrated, is hand fed fruit whilst kept comfortable and safe in an incubator at wildlife carers Julie Malherbe's...

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Young rescued Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) Olinda, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Young rescued Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) Olinda, Victoria, Australia.

Rescued Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) hanging from the roof of its enclosure whilst eating watermelon at the Fly-By-Night Bat Clinic, Olinda, Victoria, Australia. February, 2018. Mod... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Rescued Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) hanging from the roof of its enclosure whilst eating watermelon at the Fly-By-Night Bat Clinic, Olinda, Victoria, Australia. February, 2018. Mod...

Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) rescued bats waiting to move in to a soft release cage being built by Parks Victoria and Friends of Bats and Bushcare. Yarra Bend Park, Fairfield, Vic... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) rescued bats waiting to move in to a soft release cage being built by Parks Victoria and Friends of Bats and Bushcare. Yarra Bend Park, Fairfield, Vic...

Portrait of a rescued and rehabilitated Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) that have just been transported to a 'soft-release' enclosure. Hanging from the roof of its home and l... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Portrait of a rescued and rehabilitated Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) that have just been transported to a 'soft-release' enclosure. Hanging from the roof of its home and l...

Portrait of rescued and rehabilitated Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) that have just been transported to a 'soft-release' enclosure within the Yarra Bend Park colony (Victoria, Austr... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Portrait of rescued and rehabilitated Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) that have just been transported to a 'soft-release' enclosure within the Yarra Bend Park colony (Victoria, Austr...

Rescued Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) named Olive is released back into his Melbourne colony by wildlife carer Treycee Baker. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. Editorial use... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Rescued Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) named Olive is released back into his Melbourne colony by wildlife carer Treycee Baker. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. Editorial use...

Rescued Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) is released back into his Melbourne colony by wildlife carer Francois Malherbe. The bat was rescued several months earlier as a result of enta... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Rescued Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) is released back into his Melbourne colony by wildlife carer Francois Malherbe. The bat was rescued several months earlier as a result of enta...

Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in flight above Bellbird picnic ground having just been released after weeks of home care. It was brought into care after it had become entangled in ina... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in flight above Bellbird picnic ground having just been released after weeks of home care. It was brought into care after it had become entangled in ina...

Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) fly around their roosting site. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. February, 2017 - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) fly around their roosting site. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. February, 2017

Silhouette of the head of a Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) through its wings. On hot days when resting in trees, flying-foxes will spread their highly vascular wings, thereby allowing... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Silhouette of the head of a Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) through its wings. On hot days when resting in trees, flying-foxes will spread their highly vascular wings, thereby allowing...

Volunteer wildlife career (Olwyn Jones) uses water to try and cool down some Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) at the Melbourne flying-fox colony during a heat stress event day. Yarra... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Volunteer wildlife career (Olwyn Jones) uses water to try and cool down some Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) at the Melbourne flying-fox colony during a heat stress event day. Yarra...

A Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in flight just after having taken a flying high speed belly-dip into the Yarra river at the end of a very hot day. They do this to wet their fur which... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / A Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) in flight just after having taken a flying high speed belly-dip into the Yarra river at the end of a very hot day. They do this to wet their fur which...

Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) male flying. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. Cropped. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) male flying. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. Cropped.

Portrait of a rescued Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) at the Fly-By-Night Bat Clinic, Olinda, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Portrait of a rescued Grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) at the Fly-By-Night Bat Clinic, Olinda, Victoria, Australia.

Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) hang from a branch. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. November 2019. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) hang from a branch. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. November 2019.

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) flying just before sunset. Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia.

Close up of the nose of a rescued Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). Gardenvale, Victoria, Australia. Cropped. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Close up of the nose of a rescued Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). Gardenvale, Victoria, Australia. Cropped.

Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) hanging from a branch with her young under her wings at a colony next to the Yarra River, Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia. - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) hanging from a branch with her young under her wings at a colony next to the Yarra River, Yarra Bend Park, Kew, Victoria, Australia.

Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) at a colony hang together on a branch over the Yarra River (Melbourne). These bats form part of a colony that was established here in early 2000's, wh... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) at a colony hang together on a branch over the Yarra River (Melbourne). These bats form part of a colony that was established here in early 2000's, wh...

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Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) released back into his Melbourne colony by wildlife carer Francois Malherbe. The bat was rescued several months earlier, found hanging low in a fruit tr... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) released back into his Melbourne colony by wildlife carer Francois Malherbe. The bat was rescued several months earlier, found hanging low in a fruit tr...

Wildlife rescuers and Parks Victoria officer Stepehen Brend (top right) examine the remains of a dead Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) that was recovered in the field during a heat st... - Doug Gimesy

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Doug Gimesy / Wildlife rescuers and Parks Victoria officer Stepehen Brend (top right) examine the remains of a dead Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) that was recovered in the field during a heat st...