Baby bats hold up Cairns Regional Council's eviction of CBD flying foxes

BABY bats have help up plans to evict thousands of flying foxes from Cairns CBD.

A controversial plan to evict thousands of flying foxes from their inner-city roost has been delayed after an inspection this week found there are still young and vulnerable bats in the colony.

Cairns Regional Council received the Federal Government's approval to disperse the flying fox colony in September, but it came after the breeding season had already begun.

Despite some local opposition including a petition carrying more than 5000 signatures the council has pushed ahead with its plan to trim back the trees lining Abbott and Aplin streets which it hopes will drive out the bats.

CRC's parks and leisure manager Brett Spencer this week told a council meeting an inspection by the Department of Environment had found there were still pups in the colony.

He said weekly inspections would continue.

"At the moment we're in a holding pattern," he said.