Malaysia's Smoke Haze, 8th September 2005.

Annual land clearing on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, west of Peninsular Malaysia, results in both countries becoming blanketed in smoke for weeks at a time. This year, the fires on Sumatra were more numerous than usual. HERG team members have responded to the event and will study not only this years severe smoke haze using satellite imagery but utilize their experience in satellite telemetry to study any aberrant movements of the Malayan flying fox. Map: S. Veloz.

Northern Territory Disease Surveillance Operation, 11th April 2005.

In April 2005, HERG team members, Dr Raina Plowright, University of California, Anja Divljan, University of Sydney and Craig Smith, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, conducted a disease surveillance operation in the Northern Territory, Australia. The operation is part of a longitudinal study of Hendra virus in little red flying foxes in the Katherine Region. Photo: R. Plowright.

Watch videos from the operation including flyout over Flora River, when flying foxes leave their colony after sunset to begin their nightly foraging. Video: C. Smith.

South Trees Inlet Disease Surveillance Operation, 13th September 2004.

In August 2004 NIH Fogarty Hendra and Nipah Virus Collaborative Research Group team members Elizabeth Chamberlin and Samuel Veloz, University of California, Amanda McLaughlin, Tufts University, and Craig Smith, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, conducted a disease surveillance operation in central Queensland, Australia. The operation was targeted at a colony of little red flying foxes roosting amongst mangroves in South Tress Inlet, south of Gladstone. Photo: C. Smith.

Watch videos from the operation including catching little red flying foxes and fly out, when flying foxes leave there colony after sunset to begin their nightly foraging. Video: C. Smith.

The amazing adventures of Colossus, 27th January 2004.

During December 2003, the NIH Fogarty Hendra and Nipah Virus Collaborative Research Group deployed a disease surveillance team in Malaysia. The teams primary goal was to attach a satellite transmitter or Platform Terminal Transmitter, (PTT), onto a Pteropus vampyrus, the largest flying fox in Malaysia and one of the largest in the world. Photo: C. Smith.

Watch video of the PTT being fitted to Colossus and his release. Video: K. H. Chong

Disease surveillance operation in the Torres Strait, 7th January 2004.

Watch video footage of Bogiu Island from the Reef helicopter. Video: C. Smith.

Wolverine takes to the skies, 6th August 2003.

A black flying fox, named Wolverine by HERG team members, was recently caught and released in Coen, Far North Queensland, Australia. He is the first of many HERG research group animals to have their movements studied using satellite telemetry. Photo: D. Babski.

The Jeff Corwin Experience comes down under, 22nd January 2003.

Animal Planets Jeff Corwin is currently in Australia filming HERG team members for an upcoming episode of the 'The Jeff Corwin Experience'. Jeff has completed graduate work on the ecology of Central American bats. Photo: C. Smith.

The dynamics of infection and excretion of Hendra virus in Australian flying fox populations, 17th January 2003.

HERG team members from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries recently concluded the first year of a longitudinal study to investigate within-year and between-year variation in Hendra virus infection in flying foxes. Photo: C. Smith.

Research team to tackle lethal viruses from fruit bats, September 2002.

The Consortium for Conservation Medicine announces an award of US$1.4 million from the Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health. The award will fund 4 years of research on a group of viruses that recently emerged in South East Asia and Australia, causing the death of over 150 people.