Alex Houghton, Frequent Flyers (ANIMAL & NATURE 2024)

Often misunderstood and the Grey-headed flying fox is a vulnerable species in Australia due to urban development and climate change. More common than not, people afraid of them due to a stigma of bats being dirty and more so recently covid rumours. Researching them I discovered that they can travel up to 30KM in search for food and play a huge role in pollination and seed dispersal on the east coast of Australia. Believed to be able to travel up to 1,000KM a year they play a vital role in the natural ecosystem as a health indicator but also prey for certain species. Taking the time to watch them settle after a night of activity, I began to see a soft side to the species that made me appreciate them and change my mindset . Grooming themselves, finding the right branch, and stretching their wings catching the light showing the delicate nature of their build. Photographing them has given me a new appreciation for such wonderful and beautiful creatures.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.