Red Dawn

Macroderma gigas
 
Ghost bats are rare and elusive creatures (IUCN: vulnerable), with very specific roost requirements, and have sadly been on the decline across Australia for many decades. They are well known in the media from the long running campaign to protect the Mount Etna population in Queensland. We're very lucky to live in the core of their current range in the Top End of the Northern Territory and as a conservationist and photographer, Etienne was delighted to discover a population residing across several large rural private properties in 2021. Over the last three years he's dedicated substantial time to studying these large predators using thermal optics, and finally in 2024 discovered an escarpment overhang that is sometimes used as a rest area between hunts. Here, an adule flies along the escarpment just before dawn, offering a rare glimpse into the secretive world of these remarkable creatures.