We have been trialling satellite telemetry collars for Dr Hume Field's team from Queensland Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries. The collars are being used on LRFFs in the Northern Territory as part of the Henipavirus Ecology Research Group project (www.henipavirus.org). Observations over the initial three-month trial on 10 animals included collar loss, localized hair loss and skin-reddening/trauma in some animals. The study, which began in August 2005, continued with 3 of the collared LRFFs for a further 3 months.

The total weight of the transmitter, collar and bracket is only 20g and was placed on Little Reds in the trial weighing 400-450g. Bats that were captured in the field though weighed about 650g.

The Little Red trials were all on flying foxes living in our large flight cage, of which only 2 had some ability to fly. Included in the trial was a 10 month old Spectacled flying fox who could fly.

photo: Craig Smith fitting collar on anaesthetised Little Red flying fox

We have also been working with CSIRO in Atherton to trial both satellite and radiotracking collars on Spectacled flying foxes. There have been similar issues to those with the Little Red trials, with collars rubbing, and somel intolerance of them. The CSIRO trials were all done on flying foxes that could fly, but were choosing to live at the bat hospital outside the cage.

Photo left: This bat wore away fur by constantly licking, as did one bat in the Little Red study. One bat in both trials showed this intolerance to the collar, both beginning the licking behaviour in the first few hours. To exclude these bats from use in research, consideration could be given to collared bats being held for at least 24 hours before release. Suitable housing would need to be provided.

Photo right: In both studies, some collars swung around to the front, but in all cases the bats were able to swing them back again.