Flying foxes: please don’t disturb and night work to start next week

Eurobodalla Council is urging residents not to take flying fox dispersal into their own hands.

Council’s acting General Manager Lindsay Usher says for the planned dispersal to have the best chance of working, a coordinated response is necessary and that random attempts by residents to disrupt the flying foxes are likely to reduce the effectiveness of the planned dispersal, and are illegal.

“People taking matters into their own hands disturbs the flying foxes and can spread the problem by encouraging splinter camps to form nearby,” said Mr Usher.

“The flying foxes also become accustomed to the noise and disturbance, which will make these methods less effective in the dispersal Council is preparing for.”

Council has received an exemption from the Commonwealth Department of Environment to conduct non-lethal dispersal activities up to 1 August 2016 and is applying for the required approval from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage to disperse the flying foxes.

Mr Usher explained that to prepare for a dispersal attempt this winter, Council has begun clearing vegetation near affected homes after receiving approval from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.

“To accelerate the clearing work, night works will start next Monday and has been approved to take place on weeknights from 7pm to 5am when the bats have left the Water Gardens and Catalina camps to feed for the night.

“We are letter box dropping residents in the affected areas today to let them know about the night work, which could go on for four weeks,” said Mr Usher. “In accordance with the approval requirements, a natural resource management officer will be onsite to supervise and monitor the flying foxes to ensure there is no adverse impact on them.”

Council is also seeking expressions of interest from people who are willing and capable of volunteering or working as casual flying fox dispersal officers.