Since late September 2026, there has been an increase in reports of sickness and deaths in flying-foxes from NSW (in particular, south coast, Greater Sydney, Mid North Coast, Hunter and Northern Rivers regions), the ACT, and Vic (in particular, central Victoria and East Gippsland). Wildlife rehabilitators have also reported a sharp increase in the number of flying-foxes presenting into care.
Grey-headed flying-foxes appear to be the main impacted species, but some reports include black flying-foxes. Both sexes and all age groups have been affected, including premature births, and deaths in pups and adults.
Investigations into the possible cause/s of the event are ongoing, though mass starvation resulting from food shortages is considered most likely. Food shortages may arise in association with multiple factors, such as recent weather conditions, asynchronous flowering of food trees, climate change and habitat loss and degradation.
In a small number of pups and adults, primarily from the Northern Rivers and Clarence Valley regions in NSW, other clinical signs have been reported (including bleeding). Investigations to determine the significance of these clinical signs and their relationship to the current food shortage conditions are being prioritised.
Mortality events involving black flying-foxes have also been reported from North Queensland. While these share some characteristics with the incident in NSW/Vic/ACT, they are not associated with a food shortage and at this stage they are thought to be separate events.
There have also been some reports of rainbow lorikeets being impacted by reduced food availability on the NSW south coast, though to a lesser extent than in flying-foxes.
Information for members of the public:
If you see signs of sickness or death in flying-foxes, please report it to your state/territory WHA Coordinator or the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline (1800 675 888).
Members of the public should not handle flying-foxes. This is due to the risk of exposure to diseases such as Australian bat lyssavirus. See Wildlife Health Australia’s Bat Health webpage for further information.
In the event of a bite, scratch or other significant contact with a bat - seek medical attention urgently. Contact your local GP or Public Health agency for further advice (in NSW call 1300 066 055).
Pet owners in affected areas should take steps to prevent direct contact between their pet and a bat e.g. keeping the pet confined at night. If your pet has interacted with a bat, seek prompt assistance from your local veterinary practitioner.
Biosecurity recommendations for wildlife care providers:
Wildlife care providers are strongly encouraged to follow best-practice personal protective equipment guidelines. Please see Wildlife Health Australia’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Information for Bat Handlers and Bat Health webpage for further information.
If bat handlers have questions or concerns regarding their own health in relation to wildlife care and handling, they should seek medical advice or contact their government public health agency.
Further information:
Key agencies and organisations are sharing information and monitoring reports from affected areas to help build an understanding of the situation and facilitate investigation. Not every report will lead to further investigation, however all reports help to inform our understanding of the event.
Further resources: