No sign of the Fiji Flying Fox

Annette Scanlon finishes the 2009 Fiji Flying Fox project with a disappointing survey.

The final survey for the Fiji Flying Fox Mirimiri acrodonta at Des Voeux Peak, Taveuni was completed last week without any further sign of the Fiji Flying Fox, one of the world’s rarest bats.

NFMV had funded the four surveys by Annette Scanlon through a grant from the Critical Ecoysystem Partnership fund (www.cepf.org).

The November survey was the most successful so far in terms of the other bats captured including first captures of the Fiji Mastiff Bat Chaerophon bregullae and several Blossom bats Notopteris macdonaldi.

NFMV is very grateful to Annette Scanlon for her dedicated work in harsh conditions at Des Voeux Peak and we are grateful too to Fiji Telecom Ltd., who allowed the team to use their communication facilities there as a base camp.

Adult female Fiji Flying Fox captured and released at Des Vouex Peak. Photo Guy Botroff
Adult female Fiji Flying Fox captured and released at Des Vouex Peak. Photo Guy Botroff

A report on the 2009 surveys will be available from NFMV shortly.