The Mackay region is lucky enough to have over 30 bat species call the area home. In the urban areas, the most common bat you’ll see is the Black Flying-Fox (Pteropus alecto), which is a larger species and can be seen in sizable numbers flying in the sky at dusk. Bats are social creatures and form nursery colonies to rear their young.

All bat species are unique and play a crucial role in the ecology of the environment. The majority of bat species eat insects and are appropriately called insectivores. Other bats prefer to eat nectar, pollen, fruit and seeds. These bats are called frugivores. And then there are bats who are omnivores, which eat both insects and fruits.