A rare flying fox arrives at WFFT

This morning a Lyle’s flying fox (Pteropus lylei) was brought into the WFFT Wildlife Hospital for medical treatment after being found unable to fly in a forested area in the city of Ayutthaya. Following a medical examination of ‘Batty’, as he has been named, we found that he has a badly broken wing.
Lyle’s flying fox is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Their population is believed to be in decline, a trend that is expected to continue due to human pressures on its environment. Habitat loss is a major threat to the population, with deforestation and construction projects irreversibly destroying the forests that they rely on for roosting and for food. Farmers also pose a threat as they consider Lyle’s flying fox to be a crop pest, resulting in persecution of this species.

The WFFT Vet Team plans to perform surgery on him, and will attempt to fix his broken wing. For now is in our hospital enjoying lots of sweet ripe fruit. We will keep you posted on his progress.