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Scare tactics suggested for bat colony | POLL
Bat colony in Rosalind Park soars | POLL
MEMBERS of the Wildlife Rescue and Information Network have defended the 12,000 strong bat colony in Rosalind Park, after a committee described it as ‘more of a plague than a colony.’
Habitat loss and a lack of food have displaced the bats, WRIN spokeswoman Michelle Mead said.
“It isn’t that unusual that they would take up residence here, especially since food and conditions are optimum in this area at the moment,” she said.
Network members said the grey-headed flying foxes would likely leave of their own accord, without the need for persuasion.
“I wouldn’t try anything unless the bats are still here at this time next year and numbers are still increasing,” WRIN vice-president Vicki Fox said.
The network’s comments come in response to the Rosalind Park Advisory Committee’s recommendations to the City of Greater Bendigo regarding the bat colony.
Cleanliness, odour and potential damage to the park were chief among the committee’s concerns about the spike in the protected species’ population.
The committee suggested that it might be reasonable to scare the bats away from the south end of the park, restricting them to the fernery, to try to lessen their impact.
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The City of Greater Bendigo has appointed a consultant to create a bat management plan, and has yet to receive a briefing or report to inform any decisions it may wish to make about managing the colony.
“Forward planning is always good,” Mrs Fox said.
But she called on the council to give the bats time to move by themselves.
“As the food supply changes or dwindles it is likely that some members of the camp will move on, but a small colony will probably remain,” Ms Mead added.
“It is incredibly unfortunate that so many misconceptions exist regarding these unique mammals.”
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She said the unique odour associated with flying foxes originated from the male and was used to mark his territory and attract females for breeding – not as a result of their urine or faeces.
Ms Mead attributed much of the misconception to a myth that bats pose a public health risk.
“The reality is that less than 1 per cent of the flying fixes carry the Lyssa virus,” she said.
“In addition, the only way to contract the virus is direct contact with the saliva of an infected bat.”
“The virus cannot be caught from urine or faeces. There are no known cases of humans catching Hendra virus from bats.”
Ms Fox urged people to call WRIN on 0419 356 433 if they encountered a bat in need of assistance, and not to touch it.
AN advisory committee has called on the City of Greater Bendigo to appeal to state and federal politicians for help to manage its growing bat colony.
In a list of recommendations, the Rosalind Park Advisory Committee noted that the 12,000 bats in the park ‘appear to be more of a plague than a colony.’
It called on the council to write to Bendigo’s state and federal parliamentary representatives to alert them to the community’s concerns, and to ask how the city might be allowed to manage the situation.
The grey-headed flying fox is a protected species.
Bendigo mayor Margaret O’Rourke said the city could face fines of up to $7 million if it failed to follow the process of a proper bat management plan to relocate the colony.
“The city is not going to put itself in jeopardy to be fined in any way,” she said.
“The tricky part about it is, the numbers have increased so much that they are very problematic.
“We know they need to be managed.”
A consultant, who also worked on the relocation of bats from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, has been appointed to create a bat management plan.
The process is underway, with council expecting to receive a report and a briefing at its conclusion.
“Once we’ve been through that, council will make some decisions about what actions they would like to take,” city presentation and assets director Craig Lloyd said.
The plan will have to be approved, and council will have to apply for any necessary permits before it can take action.
Meanwhile, Mr Lloyd said the city was doing everything it could to avoid damage to the park, and to keep it clean.
Cleanliness and the cost of cleaning were points highlighted in the Rosalind Park Advisory Committee’s report, which stated that the bats “stink and excrete faeces everywhere.”
“The city is incurring a daily cost in cleaning the park and its intent as a conservatory and recreation area is being eroded,” the committee stated.
The committee noted that the bats were unlikely to leave Rosalind Park until spring.
“And if they don’t, this is a critical time for the trees as they bud and reshoot, making them very vulnerable to lasting damage,” it stated.
“The park’s primary purpose is to maintain both an exotic array of trees, but also to provide a micro climate for people to relax and enjoy.”
The committee suggested a “reasonable alternative” might be to scare the bats away from the south end of the park and try to lessen their impact by restricting them to the fernery.
“The colony now extends to the entire lower park and has started to roost in surrounding street trees and neighbourhoods,” it stated.
Cr O’Rourke said the challenge would be finding a suitable location for the bats’ relocation.
Council has yet to make a decision on whether or not to pen the letters.
THE BAT population in Rosalind Park has more than doubled in the past month.
There were about 12,000 bats when the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning conducted a count as part of its national census on Friday.
The bat population came to about 5000 during a count about a month ago, City of Greater Bendigo parks and natural reserves manager Debbie Wood said.
But it’s still about 20,000 winged guests shy of the record numbers residing in the park in 2010.
Ms Wood said there was nothing the city could do about the colony’s numbers, for the moment.
The bats are a protected species.
The city is in the process of engaging a consultant to further explore its options.
Ms Wood said arborists were monitoring the condition of the trees in which the bats were living.
While damage has yet to be of concern, the risk rises the longer the bats reside in the trees..
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