Seasonal habitat use by flying-foxes, Pteropus alecto and P-scapulatus (Megachiroptera), in monsoonal Australia

Distributions of flying-fox (Pteropus alecto and P. scapulatus) were examin ed in relation to use of habitat in the essentially natural landscape of no rthern Australia. There were differences between the species in terms of th e vegetation used for roosting and foraging, which were related to the repr oductive cycle and seasonal variation in temperature, rainfall and the avai lability of preferred foods. Important habitats of P. alecto varied seasona lly and included floodplain, mangrove, monsoon rainforest, Melaleuca open-f orest, and Eucalyptus miniatalE. tetrodonta open-forest and woodland. The m inimum scale at which conservation of P. alecto should be attempted is in t he order of 5000 km(2), based on seasonal patterns of habitat use. The size of this area will make conservation via traditional reserves difficult and conservation of important habitats outside reserves will be needed. Habita ts protected for the benefit of P, alecto will also benefit P. scapulatus b ut because P. scapulatus is more mobile, displays greater yearly variation in distribution and is less well understood than P. alecto, appropriate con servation actions are less certain.