Grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus).
Image: Andrew Mercer (www.baldwhiteguy.co.nz), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- VU · Vulnerable
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2021 global assessment of Pteropus poliocephalus says VulnerableChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The grey-headed flying fox is a large fruit bat of eastern Australia, with a wingspan of around a metre. It is assessed as Vulnerable.
It pollinates and disperses seeds over long distances as it feeds on nectar and fruit at night.
Range & habitat
Forests and urban areas of eastern Australia.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Habitat loss
- Heat-stress die-offs
- Conflict and persecution
Why it matters
A large fruit bat that pollinates and spreads the seeds of native trees, the grey-headed flying fox is a keystone for Australian forests despite often being seen as a nuisance.
Gallery
Grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus).
Image: Andrew Mercer (www.baldwhiteguy.co.nz), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Grey-headed Flying Fox
- IUCN Red List — look up Grey-headed Flying Fox (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web