Natural flying fox migration assists Bay dispersal

It’s been just over a week since flying fox dispersal activities started in Batemans Bay and the Eurobodalla Council dispersal team of around 30 contractors and volunteer staff are now working across three different locations, trying to discourage the flying foxes from roosting when they return from their nightly feeding.

Initial activities near Heron Road in Catalina successfully moved the flying foxes from vegetation close to houses, allowing Council to start authorised vegetation clearing to increase the buffer zone between the flying fox habitat and residences.

The numbers of flying foxes around Lake Catalina have also reduced significantly as they are ‘nudged’ out of that area. Dispersal noise and lights will continue in Catalina in an attempt to prevent the flying foxes returning while the main dispersal activities move to the Water Gardens and Bavarde Avenue.

Council’s Director of Planning and Sustainability Lindsay Usher, who has been onsite most mornings with the dispersal team, says the dispersal activities are now focusing on the Water Gardens after promising results in Catalina.

“The Water Gardens is a much more challenging environment than Catalina due to the topography, the size of the camp, and it being a preferred and well-established flying fox roost site,” he said.

“We need to keep mixing up the noises we make, because the flying foxes get used to hearing the same sounds. We’ve also found that flashing lights are quite effective in discouraging them from landing.

“We’re managing the dispersal activities with ecologists to ensure the wellbeing of the flying foxes and that we’re using the best dispersal approach across all the sites. This is also why it’s important that residents don’t try to disturb the flying foxes themselves, because it undermines the strategic approach we’re taking,” he said.

The loud noises and lights of dispersal are now also underway between 5am to 7am near the Scout Hall off Bavarde Avenue to assist with the vegetation removal for further buffer zones.

“Our dispersal teams are growing as we work in more areas,” said Mr Usher, “and will continue to do so in the coming weeks when we may introduce secondary dispersal activities such as the use of smoke.

“Smoke can be a valuable tool as part of dispersals when used at the right time and in the right location, so we will be burning some of the vegetation piles leftover from the clearing when the wind conditions are right,” he said.

The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, who map the extent of flying fox campsites each week, report that the camp at Cockwhy Creek near East Lynne is naturally dispersing. Mr Usher says while it appears the dispersal activities in Batemans Bay have accelerated this natural departure of the flying foxes, many were leaving anyway because of the cooler weather and decreased food supply.

“This is good news for the overall outcome of the dispersal, but I’m urging people to have realistic expectations of how dispersal works and the natural movements of the flying foxes.

“It is almost certain that the flying foxes will return when the weather warms up and food sources become available, but we cannot predict in what numbers or where they will camp. Flying fox numbers are largely in response to the availability of food and there will always be a food supply in the Eurobodalla.

“It is important for the community to understand that while we currently have an exemption to carry out dispersal activities, no activities can be performed when the flying foxes are heavily pregnant or with young, which is likely to extend from August to February each year. This is why we’re investing heavily in increasing the vegetation buffer zones now to minimise conflict between flying foxes and residents in the future.”