What type of damage do flying-foxes usually cause to trees/foliage etc.?
The weight and movement of large numbers of flying-foxes, particularly when they are roosting and breeding, can break branches and strip trees of leaves and new shoots. This damage weakens the tree, and with continued pressure, may eventually result in its death. The dramatic loss of shade when the upper canopy of trees dies from roosting flying-foxes then damages or kills trees and plants underneath that are not suited to full sunlight. Finally, large amounts of flying-fox guano kills the living tips of palms and other plants in the lower storeys. The damage caused by the large concentration of flying-foxes living in the trees at the Royal Botanic Gardens is unsustainable.
