Taronga’s surrogate bat mum, Tegan, has discovered her

orphaned Grey-headed Flying Fox, Duruga, has a favourite fruit.

The Flying Fox, whose Aboriginal name means Falling Star,

goes mad for mango.

Tegan found out as she started to wean Duruga by introducing

fruit to the Flying Fox’s diet.

“She’s not that keen on apple or even banana, but this bat

just loves mango,” she said.

During an afternoon feeding session, Duruga clambered down

Tegan’s arm to reach a mango cheek she was holding, burying its furry face in

the bright yellow flesh of the fruit.

Duruga tore big pieces of mango free and soon had specks of

mango everywhere.

When Duruga is weaned in a couple of weeks, flight training

will begin in earnest so the little Flying Fox can graduate to a Bat Finishing

School before being returned to the wild in February.

Duruga eating some mango Duruga was found, orphaned in Camperdown, a few weeks ago

and after a thorough veterinary check at the Taronga Wildlife Hospital, became

one of the many native animals hand-raised by Zoo keepers.

Tegan said one of the great dangers for Flying Foxes in

urban areas is the loose netting used by householders to protect fruit trees.

She said: “It’s OK if the netting is stretched tightly over

a frame. The bats just bounce off but if it’s loose, they become entangled and

may die.”- Zoo Communications