Confirmed: Botanic Gardens bat eviction starts this month
1 JUN 12 @ 04:50PM BY KYE MACKEY
SYDNEY’s Royal Botanic Gardens has confirmed that thousands of grey-headed flying foxes will be evicted from the gardens between June and July.
City of Sydney Greens Councillor Irene Doutney has warned local residents that they may soon be sharing their backyards with bats, and said the
future of the relocated animals was looking bleak.
“If they end up in backyards or parks, chances are they’ll be moved on again,” Cr Doutney said.
“If they end up in farmland they’ll likely be shot thanks to the state government’s system of fast tracking licences for this.”
Gardens Director Mark Savio said it’s highly unlikely the bats will take over local backyards and parks.
“Based on noise disturbance used in Sydney in the 1990s, it’s expected that the flying foxes will relocate to existing colonies,” he said.
“If the flying foxes settle in unacceptable locations, the RBGDT is committed to further relocation in consultation with landowners.”
Bat Advocacy NSW spokesperson Nick Edards is concerned for the welfare of the threatened species.
He said the Botanic Garden’s bat population could reach upwards of 20,000 at peak times, which amounted to five per cent of the entire population
of the species in Australia.
The Gardens estimated that only 5,000 bats will be displaced.
The relocation – whereby bats will be scared away with recordings of industrial sounds and banging noises – was due to start two years ago, but
was delayed twice because the bats were found to be in poor health and needed additional monitoring.
Savio said this year the condition of the bats has been very good and that the necessary animal ethics approvals have been received.
The Gardens are keen to relocate the bats and said that they are slowly destroying the trees.
1 JUN 12 @ 04:50PM BY KYE MACKEY
SYDNEY’s Royal Botanic Gardens has confirmed that thousands of grey-headed flying foxes will be evicted from the gardens between June and July.
City of Sydney Greens Councillor Irene Doutney has warned local residents that they may soon be sharing their backyards with bats, and said the
future of the relocated animals was looking bleak.
“If they end up in backyards or parks, chances are they’ll be moved on again,” Cr Doutney said.
“If they end up in farmland they’ll likely be shot thanks to the state government’s system of fast tracking licences for this.”
Gardens Director Mark Savio said it’s highly unlikely the bats will take over local backyards and parks.
“Based on noise disturbance used in Sydney in the 1990s, it’s expected that the flying foxes will relocate to existing colonies,” he said.
“If the flying foxes settle in unacceptable locations, the RBGDT is committed to further relocation in consultation with landowners.”
Bat Advocacy NSW spokesperson Nick Edards is concerned for the welfare of the threatened species.
He said the Botanic Garden’s bat population could reach upwards of 20,000 at peak times, which amounted to five per cent of the entire population
of the species in Australia.
The Gardens estimated that only 5,000 bats will be displaced.
The relocation – whereby bats will be scared away with recordings of industrial sounds and banging noises – was due to start two years ago, but
was delayed twice because the bats were found to be in poor health and needed additional monitoring.
Savio said this year the condition of the bats has been very good and that the necessary animal ethics approvals have been received.
The Gardens are keen to relocate the bats and said that they are slowly destroying the trees.
