Animal rescuers in Sydney's outlying suburbs described "heartbreaking” scenes of Australia's largest but vulnerable-listed bat species dying by the hundreds, if not thousands.

Volunteers had used fluids to save 80 juvenile "flying foxes” but at least 500 youngsters had succumbed to the heatwave, said Cate Ryan of the WIRES wildlife group from Campelltown, west of Sydney.

"They have less heat tolerance,” she said. "Their brain just fries and they become incoherent,” often falling to the ground while adults managed better in seeking out precious shade.

The grey-headed bat, Pteropus poliocephalus, lives in wooded and swamp regions along the continents eastern coast, from southern Queensland, through New South Wales of which Sydney is the capital, to Melbourne, Victoria.

They are regarded as "keystone pollinators and seed dispersers” for over 100 species of Australian native trees and plants but are sometimes hunted or netted as nuisance foragers by fruit-growing orchardists.

On Sunday, temperatures topping 45 degrees (113 Fahrenheit) were recorded around Sydney - making it the metropolis' hottest day since 1939.

Watch video 00:58 Share Australia hit by heatwave Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2qXmA Australians struggle to keep cool during heatwave

Species in decline, vulnerable

Already in 2008, researchers in a Royal Society Biological Science Proceedings article attributed climate warming to a series of bat deaths in New South Wales, saying it contributed to species decline.

"Temperature extremes are important additional threats to Australian flying-foxes and the ecosystem services they provide, and we recommend close monitoring of colonies where temperatures exceeding 42.0°C are predicted," they wrote.

The Australian federal government in an "action plan" launched in 1999 said loss of native habitat and destruction of roosting and foraging spots had left the species "vulnerable."

New South Wales' state government says it has a policy of encouraging orchardists to net foraging bats and not shoot them.

Its program of subsidising nets was, however, closed down on in June, 2017.

2017: Devastating effects of climate change Sweltering heat Unprecedented heat waves swept across the globe in 2017, leading to droughts, wildfires and even deaths. Australia started the year with temperatures near 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit), the "Lucifer" heat wave brought the mercury above 40 degrees Celsius throughout Southern Europe in July and August and scorching heat hit India's most vulnerable people. Get ready for next summer...

2017: Devastating effects of climate change Disappearing wonder Earlier this year, scientists realized that coral bleaching in Australia's Great Barrier Reef was worse than first thought. In some parts of the UNESCO World Heritage site, up to 70 percent of the coral has already been killed. By 2050, scientists have warned 90 percent of the reef could disappear. Rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification are the main culprits.

2017: Devastating effects of climate change Deadly combination Armed conflicts are pushing millions of people to leave their homes or live in terribly precarious situations — and climate change is making it worse. A lack of natural resources increases the risk of conflict and makes life even harder for refugees. South Sudanese families, for instance, are escaping to neighboring countries like Uganda and Kenya — countries already suffering from drought.

2017: Devastating effects of climate change World on fire From New Zealand to Spain, from California to even Greenland: the world has seen a nonstop year of wildfires. Global warming has been blamed for the increased fire risk, and in some countries that risk has turned into reality. Wildfires engulfed large areas of Europe's Iberian Peninsula, causing death and destruction, while firefighters in California have had no rest for more than six months.

2017: Devastating effects of climate change Record-shattering storms Hurricanes Maria and Irma, which hit the Caribbean region in August and September, were two of the year's most damaging weather events. The list of deadly storms also included Ophelia in Ireland, Harvey and Nate in Central America and the US, and Xavier and Sebastian in Germany. Warming of the ocean surface has led to more evaporation, and that water may help fuel thunderstorms and hurricanes.

2017: Devastating effects of climate change Melting Antarctica In July, one of the largest icebergs ever recorded separated from the Larsen C ice shelf — one of Antarctica's biggest — reducing its area by more than 12 percent. While calving icebergs in the Antarctic are part of a natural cycle, scientists have linked the retreat of several Antarctic ice shelves to global warming and are closely monitoring potential long-term effects.

2017: Devastating effects of climate change Struggle to breathe Deteriorating air quality causes thousands of deaths around the world every year. India's capital, New Delhi, is one of the world's most polluted cities. In November, large parts of northern India and Pakistan were engulfed by a blanket of thick smog carrying harmful particulate matter. Schools were forced to close, and hospitals were full of people with respiratory problems.

2017: Devastating effects of climate change Oceans at risk The high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere represent a major threat for our oceans, already in danger due to plastic pollution, overfishing and warming waters. Ocean acidification could make these waters — covering more than two-thirds of our planet's surface — a hostile environment for sea creatures. And without marine animals, entire ocean ecosystems are at risk.

2017: Devastating effects of climate change Fierce floods and mudslides Superstorms often trigger flash floods and mudslides. In late December, more than 230 people were killed when a storm hit the Philippines' second-largest island of Mindanao, a tragedy exacerbated by years of deforestation. In 2017, severe floods also hit countries such as Vietnam, Peru and Sierra Leone. European countries, including Greece and Germany, also felt the damaging effects of heavy rain. Author: Irene Banos Ruiz



ipj/rt (dpa, AFP)