THE planned dispersal of a flying-fox colony at Coolum, due to commence this morning, has been suspended following evidence of pregnant females in the roost.
Sunshine Coast Council's Manager of Environmental Operations, Chris Allan, said with the green light given earlier in the week from the federal government, council have been monitoring the camp over the last three days as part of the pre-dispersal works in accordance with the flying-fox management plan.
"As a result of the assessment this morning it was observed that there are now visibly pregnant flying-foxes within the Cassia Wildlife Corridor roost," Mr Allan said.
"Council sought advice from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection which confirmed today that visibly pregnant flying-foxes were present within the Cassia Wildlife Corridor.
"In accordance with state and federal government approvals, dispersal action cannot take place if visibly pregnant females are present in the roost site.
"As a consequence, council will not be undertaking flying fox dispersal action at Cassia Wildlife Corridor in Coolum this year."
In May 2013, council resolved to disperse the Cassia Wildlife Corridor Flying-fox Roost due to the impacts on the adjacent residents.
Chris Allan said today's setback will no doubt be disappointing to the affected residents living in close proximity to the flying-fox roost.
"We only had a small window of opportunity to undertake these dispersal actions due to the annual flying-fox breeding cycle, and that opportunity appears to have closed for 2013," Mr Allan said.
"Council may resume the dispersal action in June of 2014, after the critical breeding times of the nationally threatened Grey-headed Flying-fox."
Non-lethal flying-fox dispersal actions were to commence on Monday 22 July as council had received all required state and federal approvals.
Council received notification from the federal government last week that the action was not a controlled action if undertaken in accordance with the management plan prepared for the site.
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