 Natural causes of mortality include predation mainly by rufous owls and pythons, death by paralysis tick when bats climb low to the ground to feed, and the death of babies that are born too early when either something goes wrong in the fetus' development, or the mother suffers from prolonged stress.Flying foxes are also frequently killed in human-related incidents such as landing on power lines, and getting entangled in nets or barbed wire.Most wild flying foxes are assumed to live much shorter lives.