A photograph taken earlier this year by wildlife photographer Chris Bray has provided new hope for the critically endangered Christmas Island flying fox, conservationists announced on Apr. 18. The image, captured on a remote Australian island, is believed to be the first-ever showing a mother flying fox carrying her newborn mid-flight.
The sighting is significant because it offers proof that the species continues to reproduce in the wild. The Christmas Island flying fox is found only on Christmas Island and is considered its last native mammal. Its population has declined sharply due to threats such as feral cats, with estimates suggesting only half of an original population of about 4,000 remain.
Bray described his experience photographing the bats: “You just photograph every bat that goes past,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC), adding that he realized later some images showed a tiny bat clinging to its mother. “Ever since I heard bat-mums fly around with their young hanging on to them, I’ve always wanted to try and get a photo,” Bray wrote in his post.
Ecologist Annabel Dorrestein of Western Sydney University accompanied Bray during his photographic effort and studies the species. She said seeing a flying fox carry a pup is remarkable due to how much energy it requires; newborns weigh about 15% of their mother’s weight, making flight more difficult for mothers.
Experts say visual documentation like photographs or footage from trail cameras plays an important role in monitoring endangered species without disturbing them. These tools help scientists confirm breeding events and track recovery efforts within fragile ecosystems.
According to Christmas Island National Park, protecting animals like the flying fox also benefits local rainforests by supporting pollination and seed dispersal processes vital for healthy forests—which stabilize soil health, store carbon, and protect water quality.
Bray told ABC: “They’ve got big round faces, and they’re super fluffy […] they’re also the cutest bat species in the world… They do just look like a teddy bear.”
