There is so much work going on at every level of community, education and government that it's often hard to keep abreast of the updates. As part of our national coordination of information we will be publishing the latest updates here and referring you to the appropriate source to get the full details.

Threats

Charters Towers Bat Eradication vs Bathurst Councils Sustainable Management Plan

The Council in Charters Towers are using pyrotechnics, gas cannons and smoke to try and disperse Flying Foxes. These bats are a threatened species and are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. This article also highlights the marvelous management plan of the Bathurst City Council to educate the community on the importance of Flying Foxes, whilst also creating a safe and healthy space for them when they're in town with alternate roosting habitats further from human settlements.

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Threats

A Call To Arms To End Dangerous Netting in NSW

It is time for a renewed push on achieving Victorian-style wildlife safe netting regulations in NSW as it has many more bats, and rescues, than Victoria. A vital element of achieving this advance is getting the attention of the office of the NSW Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders. Read on to see how we can do this. Together we make the most noise.

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Threats

The Combination of Flying-Foxes Starving Due to Heavy Constant Rain, Resorting to Eating Toxic Cocos Palm Fruit Which is Causing the Death of Many Flying-Foxes

Please Plant the right species of Palm: Cocos palm seeds are poisonous for bats when unripe and the seed can stick in their throats. The animals can also get stuck in the palm sheath. Safer species to grow are the native Cabbage Tree, Bangalow or Alexander palms.
Wildlife carers in Shoalhaven and North East regions of NSW have been receiving reports of many dead adult Grey-headed Flying-Foxes.

It is thought that Flying-foxes are starving due to heavy constant rain washing out Eucalypt nectar & pollen so that hungry Flying-foxes are resorting to eat unripe, toxic Cocos palm fruit and many are dying as a result.

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MUM - We want to stay with you!

Because Grey-headed Flying-Foxes are responsible for long distance pollination and seed dispersal of our native forests, they are true forest regenerators, and to protect them means to protect the wildlife which depend on the ecosystems which the bats provide such a service for. Therefore rescuing, raising and re-introducing orphaned flying-fox juveniles back to the wild is an important contribution to maintaining not only flying-fox numbers but also maintaining the diversity of Australia's forests.

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Threats

Flying-Foxes and Bogong Moths

The International Union for Conservation of Nature released its Red List of globally threatened species recently, which included the bogong moth and the grey-headed flying fox.

The most comprehensive global inventory of biodiversity logged 40,084 species at risk of extinction. In Australia, 1830 animals are ranked as either 'critically endangered', 'endangered' or 'vulnerable'.

Among this year’s results, the bogong moth made its first appearance, receiving an 'endangered' status. Other Australian animals also at risk of extinction are the 'vulnerable' grey-headed flying fox and the 'critically endangered' Arcadia velvet gecko.

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Threats

High Wire Tragedy

The towering steel structures, standing legs apart, arms outstretched supporting numerous wires, tower after tower endlessly ploughing their way through all landscapes in their path. These wires are Transgrid.
Tammy, a Member of the Public, who lives closeby, saw and heard the urgent calls of a small bat hanging on the Transgrid wires.
Alerted, Jill and Sue, Sydney Wildlife volunteers, found their way to where Tammy was holding the fort.

Meanwhile the baby Flying-fox hanging alone, but quite safely on the highest wire, could see the action below and responded to the calls of comfort from the hopeful rescue team.

The Flying Fox was christened Highwire. A valiant effort was undertaken to urge Transgrid to rescue Highwire.

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Threats

Reduce Entanglement of Wildlife and the Risk of ABLV Transmission via Netting Regulations

The most frequent cause of human-bat contact is via trapping or entanglement of wildlife in unsafe fruit tree netting. Netting regulations (5mm x 5mm or less at full stretch) will most likely reduce thousands of domestic bat/flying-fox entanglements in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia each year. Therefore backyard fruit tree netting regulations should be advanced, as a priority, via the appropriate state government departments.

The good news is that wildlife safe netting is now mandatory in Victoria which will reduce the risk of transmission of ABLV between flying-foxes and humans. These netting regulations commence in Victoria on 1st September 2021.

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Threats

LARGEST MAMMAL MIGRATION IN AFRICA UNDER THREAT - ZAMBIA'S BATS NEED YOUR EMAIL

Kasanka, is one of Zambia's smallest national parks. The park, however is well endowed with rivers, lakes, wetlands and forests and supports a wide range of animals, birds and fish. The reserve also hosts a unique seasonal gathering of about 10 million straw-coloured fruit bats. The bats migrate to Kasanka from across central Africa, taking up residence in a 25 hectare patch of evergreen swamp forest in the centre of the park from October to December. From here they fly out up to 70 km from the park every night to feed on native fruits in the surrounding woodlands.

A visit to the park revealed that bulldozers are removing the surrounding forest, prompting activists' fears that this will diminish the bats' food resources and destroy their habitat by drying up the park's major river. Merlin Tuttle, who has inspired bat conservation worldwide, said of all the bat crises he has experienced, this would be one of the most dire currently confronting the straw-coloured African fruit bats.

Along with the killing of more than 100,000 bats each year for “bush meat”, the destruction of roosts & foraging habitat will see the end of this keystone pollinating species, unless action is taken to increase their protection and reverse the loss of habitat.

Photo credit: Merlin Tuttle

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Initiatives

Bat Friendly Fencing

It is clear that barbed wire has become both an animal welfare and conservation issue. Therefore, it is good to hear that several of Victoria's Municipalities including Parks Victoria are taking action to reduce the presence of barbed wire by removal or non-replacement, and/or to make barbed wire safer by lighting, flagging or tape marking. If barbed wire is visible, birds and mammals will avoid it.

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Threats

The Mauritius Flying-Fox is the Ongoing Target of Controversial Culls

Mauritius, a small island nation east of Madagascar is known for its beaches and hospitality. It is also known for the dodo which was driven to extinction by humans in 1690. Since the island was colonised in 1638, Mauritius has destroyed 130 of its native plants and animals which include giant tortoises, broad-billed parrots and two flying-fox species. Now scientists are suing the Mauritius government to halt the culling of the only remaining flying-fox species. Since 2015, more than 50,000 bats have been slaughtered. The culls took place late last year when female flying-foxes were pregnant or had young, so injuring or killing one female bat meant that the young also died. It has been estimated that the remaining endangered flying-foxes are likely to be fewer than 30,000 in number.

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Threats

Entangled Wildlife Australia

Volunteer wildlife rescuers and carers in Australia expend considerable effort to help animals, birds and reptiles that become entangled in inappropriate fruit tree netting. The impact upon wildlife from netting injuries is a major concern in terms of animal welfare and biodiversity. Every measure that can be taken to reduce or remove such risks will have a positive impact not only on our wildlife but also on wildlife volunteers and wildlife hospitals.

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Threats

Flying-Fox Power Line Electrocution

We need to encourage electrical companies to insulate, bundle or otherwise make the powerlines safe for our wildlife. Too many bats are dying needlessly, and we can help. Read more:

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Threats

Flying-Fox Caught by Discarded Fishing Lure and Four Hooks in Lake Parramatta

On 10th January 2021, WIRES received notification about a critical rescue required for an adult Flying-Fox on the Eastern Arm of Lake Parramatta. The poor bat was badly injured by discarded fishing hooks and tackle left carelessly for wildlife to happen upon. Click to read more.

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Initiatives

Our Plea for Sprinklers to Help Reduce the Unnecessary Loss of Flying Foxes this Summer.

After loosing around 100,000 Australian Flying foxes last year in the bushfire season - we need to step up and help prevent this unnecessary loss of life. Flying Foxes are endangered, and we need them much more than they need us.

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Threats

Extraordinary Differences Between Councils' Flying-Fox Management Plans

Flying-fox management plans generally provide a framework to help reduce the effects of flying-foxes on the community, while conserving the animals and the ecosystem services they provide.
Well that is the case for Dungog Shire and Orange City Council, however, the Acting Mayor of Charters Towers, finds flying-foxes intolerable and wants them moved immediately from Lissner Park despite the fact that they are giving birth and carrying pups.
Similarly, the Cairns Regional Council has been actively dispersing protected Spectacled Flying Foxes (SFFs) from their roost trees at the Cairns Library for over 3 months. The original approval for this action was granted by the Federal Environment Protection Agency (EPA) after the Council had stated that the action would only occur between May to September, so as not to interfere with the species’ breeding cycle. However, the flying-fox dispersal has inexplicably been allowed to continue in Cairns.

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General

Rachel & Friends - Soft Release Part 3

A 'soft release' is where a flying-fox is released at a site that has support feeding.

This is usually the release site for orphaned young (who are now juveniles) that have not had the opportunity of a 'wild experience'.

Food is slowly decreased over a period as the juvenile bats start eating a wild diet, flight muscles get stronger as they fly further each night to forage for pollen, nectar and rainforest fruit.
Photo Credit: Marina Tretiach

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Threats

ABC Gardening Australia - GOING INTO BAT

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Use safer netting: avoid green and black netting, which many animals can’t see, and don’t use netting that has holes big enough to stick a finger through - birds and bats can easily get stuck in this. Look for white netting with a fine weave instead, often sold as ‘hail guard’ netting. Individual bags around fruit helps too.

Share your harvest: Bats will go for ripe fruit, often knocking it to the ground. If you put this in a bag and hang it in the tree, the bats will go for this and leave your less-ripe fruit alone.

Plant the right species: Cocos palm seeds are poisonous for bats when unripe and the seed can stick in their throats. The animals can also get stuck in the palm sheath. Safer species to grow are the native Bangalow or Alexander palms.

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General

Rachel, Juvenile Flying-Fox, Part 2

Rachel, the juvenile bat, has recovered from the corneal ulcers she had in both eyes, as well as the swollen and infected thumb. She has put on weight, and she is now in the company of several other juvenile flying-foxes, who like Rachel had got into trouble on one of their early flights. The young bats were all very small in size on intake, however they have now graduated to a large flight aviary where they will be able to further develop their flight skills and gain in strength and size, prior to release in Spring.
Photo by Charmian Gradwell. Text by Charmian Gradwell & Jillian Snell

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Threats

Cairns Dispersal of Endangered Spectacled Flying-Foxes from CBD Nationally Important Flying-Fox Camp

Cairns Regional Council are planning to disperse 8,000 endangered spectacled flying-foxes from Cairns CBD. Over the past 7 years, most roosting trees of Cairns CBD camp were either removed or heavily pruned, resulting in the destruction of more than two-thirds of the available roosting habitat. Some bat carers have sadly reached the conclusion that the dispersal is now the least-bad option for the bats after their once nationally important camp is now unviable. Bat carers in Cairns are now readying themselves for an influx of casualties from the dispersal.
Australia's continuing inadequate environment protection laws allow species to be pushed towards extinction at one of the highest rates in the world.
Photo credit: Inigo Merriman

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Initiatives

Rescue of a Juvenile Flying Fox by Redfern Police Officers

On the morning of 9 June 2020, WIRES & Sydney Wildlife Emergency Rescue received a call from two Police officers that saved the life of a precious flying fox. This story details the rescue of a 3 Month Juvenile Flying-Fox in Redfern, Sydney & the Valuable Contribution by Police Officers & Veterinarian.

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Initiatives

Establishing an 'Overhead Irrigation System' to Cool Flying-Foxes During Heatwaves - Equipment & Modular Design

Flying-fox Survival in a High Temperature Environment: Remote Management of Heat Stress Events.
Dr Kerryn Parry Jones concluded the following:

After 3 Heat Stress Interventions on the Central Coast and 5 Heat Stress Interventions at Burdekin Park, Singleton:

* Water spraying works to reduce the temperature at the colony site, to increase the relative humidity and to rehydrate the flying-foxes.
* Water sprinklers placed up trees is an extremely efficient method of spraying flying-foxes during a Heat Stress Intervention.

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Threats

Barbed Wire - Fencing Alternatives

Each year thousands of animals face a cruel, agonising death or permanent injury from entanglement on barbed wire fencing. More than 75 wildlife species have been identified in Australia as occasional or regular victims of barbed wire fences, especially nocturnal animals such as bats, gliders and owls.

Barbed wire fencing is now recognised as a ‘threatening process’ in the recovery plans for a number of species. These include the Yellow-bellied glider, the Mahogany glider, the Spectacled flying fox and Grey-headed flying fox.

It is clear that barbed wire has become both an animal welfare and conservation issue.

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Threats

No, Aussie Bats Won't Give You COVID-19. We Rely On Them More Than You Think.

Australian bats have been in the news recently for two main reasons: the misplaced fear they might carry COVID-19, and overblown reports they carry a koala-killing virus.
This recent bad press has seen increased incidences of disturbing cruelty against Australia’s bats, as well as calls to cull or “move on” bats that live close to people.
While several corona-viruses have been detected in various Australian bat species, none are closely related to those viruses associated with zoonotic (animal-borne) diseases like COVID-19, SARS and MERS. And none have been recorded to infect people.

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Threats

Bats Need Our Protection Now More Than Ever.

In an opinion piece by Amy Fraenkel who is the Executive Secretary of the United Nations’ Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, Far from Being our Enemies, Bats Need Protection now more than ever.

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General

Bats ‘pose no greater viral threat’ to humans than other species'.

Amy Barrett from BBC's Science Focus Magazine uncovers that 'Scientists now believe that it is the characteristic traits of the viruses, rather than their animal hosts, that will be the more useful predictors of zoonotic transmission.'

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Threats

We Can't Blame the Coronavirus on an Innocent Animal.

Scientists all over the world are desperately trying to tie the source of the Coronavirus to one of the exotic animals from the dreaded Wuhan wet markets. But regardless of which poor animal this pathogen first inhabited, it’s not hard to see that the real culprit of this unprecedented outbreak is indeed - us.

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Threats

Australia's Flying-Foxes are Crying Out for Help

Flying foxes have never been more at risk than they are now — between extreme heat waves, bushfires and habitat destruction, entire populations of this 'keystone species' are plummeting. And yet, could the biggest threat to these unique animals be public perception?

But in order to change the future for flying-foxes, we need to change the public narrative about these unique Australian animals. There are five very good reasons to foster compassion and respect for these 'gardeners of the sky'. Read more in 'Content'.

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Initiatives

IFAW Reports on Fighting Global Wildlife Trafficking and on China's Efforts to Stop Illegal Wildlife Trade

In a response to COVID-19 being linked to the wet markets of Wuhan, China has launched an unprecedented effort to monitor and stop illegal wildlife trade. Reports from IFAW tell us they have moved to ban the buying, selling, transporting and eating of wildlife.

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Research

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Bats - Good News for Australia's Bats

The specific coronavirus which is directly related to SARS-CoV-2 has not been detected in fruit bats, it has exclusively been detected in insectivorous horseshoe bats in SE Asia (predominantly in China). The emergence of these novel coronaviruses are likely the results of an intricate mix of species available at Chinese wild animal / wet markets which allows the virus to further develop zoonotic potential and spill over to humans. While this is good news for our native Flying Foxes, it is without a doubt time to put an end to these deadly live animal markets. For the poor animals, and to prevent this type of thing from ever happening again.

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Initiatives

Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital Calls For Action On World Wildlife Day

This year’s World Wildlife Day theme is ‘Sustaining all life on Earth’ and outlines the importance of preserving our environment and its wildlife, which in turn will ensure a future for generations to come.

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Initiatives

Sprinkler Systems for Flying Foxes

The simple fact is: Flying foxes are threatened to the point that we need to take action. If we don't implement even rudimentary sprinkler systems into flying-fox colonies, the more frequent & intense heat waves will ultimately annihilate this species

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Initiatives

WIN FOR FLYING-FOXES IN MELBOURNE'S CITY OF YARRA

Last night the City of Yarra, in Melbourne, voted in favour of Councillor (and FOBB) Bridgid O’Brien’s motion to support the installation of sprinklers in a section of the Yarra Bend Park colony and to end the use of unsafe netting in the municipality and to also support city wide tree planting options that will help the flying foxes find reliable food.

In support of the colony sprinkler system, cooling the area intermittently seems to really save bats from suffering heat stress.

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Initiatives, Threats

Baby Bats in Cairns

This season the little red flying foxes returned to the library colony in larger than normal numbers. They call the same trees home as the spectacled flying foxes, unfortunately they are fairing well with the newly constructed hotel across the road from the colony and on a daily basis our rescuers are collecting dead or injured little reds from the hotel.
Over 100 little reds have collided with the building wall resulting in their death or injury. Little reds in care with me has jumped to just over 20. Most suffering injuries resulting from head trauma.

The building is proving to be hazardous to first time flyers amongst the spectacled flying foxes as well, with a number of them also sustaining injuries by flying into the new building.

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Threats

Cairns CBD Flying-Fox Camp - Dispersal Proposal

Cairns Council is going ahead with their proposal to move the Spectacled flying-foxes from the city camp. This is to be done by chasing the flying-foxes out of the trees and not allowing them to return to roost using noise and lights between 4am and 7am (to harass the flying-foxes as they are returning from foraging at night), every morning for three to five years.

The plan is in public consultation period now. The deadline is COB 5pm on 31 January 2020. This Friday.

To make things easy there is a template to which you can add your name and a personal comment. Find this in the 'Content' section. The Council is overlooking the fact that many visitors to Cairns come to see the bats, which offers enormous tourist potential. Please email the finished document to 'feedback@cairns.qld.gov.au'.

There is also a tourism survey about the worth of bat tourism to Cairns. It is so important to spare the poor flying-foxes another painful dispersal of intense noise & flashing lights meant to scare the living daylights out of the poor creatures once again. The Human Race has a lot to answer for!!

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Threats

Your Help is Urgently Needed to Help Prevent an Entire Australian Species from being Wiped Out - Network for Animals

In 1900, there were around 20 million flying-foxes in Australia, a recent survey estimated that there are approximately 600,000 flying-foxes in Australia. Apart from extreme heatwaves and starvation due to habitat destruction, they also face many threats such as entanglement in netting, being impaled on barbed wire, electrocution on powerlines as well as harassment from residents who live close to flying-fox roosts. The only reason bats have moved in to urban areas is due to lack of flowering and fruiting native trees in bushland which has been either cleared for farming/development, logged for timber or burnt by bushfires.
Photography is courtesy of Tony Spira.

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Threats

Bats Need the Forest and the Forest Needs the Bats

'The recent bushfires have destroyed essential foraging resources on unprecedented scales' says Justin Welbergen, Associate Professor of Animal Ecology, Western Sydney University.
Stephen Brend, in charge of monitoring Grey-headed Flying-Foxes in Victoria, said that there is no refuge for flying-foxes, because NSW, Qld and Victorian forests have been decimated by such large, intense fires that there is very little habitat left for the bats to forage in, and it is the same for all wildlife across the country. Recent heatwaves also spotlight the perils of extreme heat, which for some species, can be just as deadly as fire.
Photography is courtesy of Tony Spira.

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Initiatives

Recover Biodiversity, Rejuvenate Degraded Farm Land

Regeneration of the soil helps restore balance in ecosystems and results in more efficient use of precious rainfall. Improved soil moisture and vegetation increases humidity and the potential for cloud and rain formation. The overall increase in soil moisture reduces the quantity of tinder dry fuel. Regenerating the soil and restoring the landscape also promotes biodiversity which increases further resilience to drought and bushfire. None of this can stop weather extremes or fire, but it can reduce their scale and impact.

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Initiatives

Girl Guides Sew 'Mumma Wraps' for Baby Bats as Drought, Heat and Fires Take a Toll

Our poor little pollinators need all the help they can get. And our forests need all the help they can get from flying foxes to regenerate after these horrific fires. These gorgeous girl guides are helping to make a difference - South Rockhampton Girl Guides (ABC News)

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General

Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) & Link to Melbourne's Flying Night Gardeners - Doug Gimesy & Heather Kiley

Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) vision is to ensure Victoria is a place with a diverse and healthy natural environment that is protected, respected and enjoyed by all.

However this vision is difficult to achieve when governments and developers are more focussed on avoiding their responsibilities than protecting Australia's natural heritage. According to VNPA's President, Bruce McGregor, the Andrews Government has done little to improve nature conservation in Victoria.

At a recent meeting the National Parks Australia Council a national body, concerned with protecting the natural environment and furthering national parks, reported that issues such as under-funding, pest plants and animals and encroachment by private tourism developments exist in all Australia's national parks and protected areas.

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Research

How to Avoid Captive Flying-Foxes Contracting Botulism From Blowfly Eggs

Signs of botulism in flying-foxes were a protruding tongue, reduced ability to swallow and weakness progressing to loss of ability to perch and respiratory difficulty. At the time (March 2019) high blowfly numbers were present at a release aviary in Northern NSW. The blowflies were attracted to the chopped fruit, plus protein supplement, which the flying-foxes were being fed. It is suspected that blowfly egg masses laid on the fruit were the source of the botulism toxin.

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Threats

South Coast NSW Bats are Suffering in Drought & Bushfire. Barrie was One of the Lucky Ones

Janine Davies, the Flying-Fox Coordinator for Wildlife Rescue South Coast, said that due the onset of the bushfires and ongoing drought, many of the flying-fox mothers are starving and have stopped lactating and are unable to feed their babies. As a result many baby bats have been orphaned such as Barrie from a burnt-out area near Lake Tabourie. Barrie was probably dropped as his mother was trying to escape the fire, and has a burnt ear and damaged wing, however he is now recovering.
Photo: credited to Sitthixay Ditthavong

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Threats

Shoalhaven Bat Clinic & Sanctuary Reports Abandonment of Baby Grey-headed Flying-Foxes

Abandonment of baby Grey-headed Flying-Foxes across 3 colonies in the Shoalhaven area now totals 1205 baby bats.
Just why this is happening, we do not know for certain. Perhaps a combination of the severe drought, then the bush fires which has impacted on the mothers milk production.

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Threats

A Simple Way to Help End the Shooting of Queensland's Flying-Foxes

Please take the action with Animal Liberation Queensland and email the Minister and Premier in the box provided. Why would a State Government allow the shooting of our important indigenous pollinators whose numbers are already in serious decline?

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Flying-Foxes in Trouble MidCoast NSW into Queensland

FAWNA Report by Meredith Ryan, President

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Threats

Abandoned Flying-Fox Pups in Dan Gleeson Memorial Gardens, Townsville, Queensland

The local Townsville Council is allowing the harassment of the flying-fox colony each morning using smoke and fogging machines. About fifty pups have been rescued from the Dan Gleeson colony but many others have either died or are out of reach. This abominable dispersal activity encouraged by the Council is detering the flying-foxes from returning to the colony, in particular the lactating females with dependent young. According to the Code of Practice (COP), if the flying-fox pups have been injured or have died as a result of the Council's dispersal activiities, then the Council can face penalties for breach of the COP.

Photo credit: Mandi Griffith

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Threats

A Call to Lobby the QLD govt to end DMPs

An open letter to address the issue of the permit based shooting of 8780 flying foxes in QLD by Lawrence Pope

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Threats

Flying-foxes turn up in strange places in Coffs Harbour due to acute food shortage.

Between the drought and a delay in the timing of flowering plants, our furry friends are being forced into urban areas. Something's got to give.

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Threats

Wingham Brush Flying-Fox Colony Affected by Drought and Vandals

The situation for the flying-fox maternity colony in the Wingham Brush Nature Reserve, near Taree NSW, is 'pretty dire' according to ranger Michael Thomas of the National Parks & Wildlife Service. He predicts that there will be a loss of trees in the remnant of subtropical lowland rainforest. What little canopy is left will not be enough to protect the flying-fox colony when heatwaves eventuate. In recent weeks, residents in Taree are reporting finding dead flying-foxes in their gardens or hanging low in backyard trees, because there is little food, the animals are too malnourished to return to the colony. To add further insult, there is evidence that vandals have been throwing stones & coke bottles thought to be improvised 'molotov coctails' at the flying-foxes. Of further concern to NPWS and local residents, is that there is ongoing poisoning of the large fig trees, with the aim of killing the trees so that the flying-fox colony will be destroyed.

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Threats

Bat Population in South-East Queensland Affected by Mass Starvation Event

All the bat groups, including Bats Queensland, are seeing incredible numbers of bats being reported either dead, food guarding, severely underweight, so malnourished that they do not have the energy to return to their colony. Ashley Fraser, a rescuer with Bats Queensland, said that, at least, 100 flying-foxes, all emaciated, have been rescued by Bats Qld, over the last 2 weeks.

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Initiatives

Gardeners to Face Backyard Blitz on Netting with New Laws Proposed to Protect Wildlife in Victoria

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has said that despite public education campaigns, many animals, birds and snakes are seriously injured or are killed in unsuitable types of fruit tree netting. Victorian State draft legislation proposes that all household fruit tree netting 'must have a mesh size of 5mm or less at full stretch, be white in colour, and have a strand diameter of no less than 500 microns'.
Anyone found selling or advertising netting that does not meet the state's regulations could also face a maximum penalty of $2,500.00.

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Initiatives

Trial Begins for First Autonomous Flying-Fox Cooling Technology

An innovative new misting system could be the answer to saving threatened species including flying-foxes from heat stress.

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Threats

Grey-headed Flying-foxes Face Imminent Dispersal from Victoria's Colac Botanic Gardens - Call for Letters/Lobbying Support

Flying foxes (thousands) will attempt to re-occupy the Colac Botanic Gardens (CBG) from September to February. Any dispersal (noise, sprayers) from the CBG is certain to see distressed flying foxes roosting (i.e. sleeping/socialising during the day) in other, sub-optimal, local areas e.g. backyards, schools, street trees etc. They must land, rest, sleep and feed their young. Newborn pups will definitely be lost. If the bats are “dispersed” out of the Gardens and trees along the nearby creek or elsewhere then they will also die, en-mass, of heatstroke over the summer period.

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Threats

Flying-Fox Heat Event Response Guidelines - Dr Tania Bishop

Flying-fox behaviour monitoring is critical during heat wave conditions. Behavioural progression from animals showing signs of heat stress through to heat stroke will always follow a predictable consistent progression. The behavioural progression includes wing fanning, clustering, clumping to panting/wrist licking which is a means of using evaporative cooling to lower core body temperatures. In high humidity heat events, evaporative cooling is hampered by high humidity.

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Threats

A Call for Writers to End Flying-fox Shooting in Queensland

Lawrence Pope presents an impassioned plea for FFS members to write to Queensland government to encourage the ending of 'lethal take'/shooting of flying-foxes. The arguments against 'lethal take' are many and he has suggestions to make a short, quick letter/email to Leeanne Enoch MP both meaningful and easy.
For the Flying-Foxes' Sake please write a letter or send an email - FFS#

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Initiatives

Louise Saunders has recently been awarded an OAM for her service to wildlife conservation and the visual arts.

Louise Saunders, OAM, who has spent two decades rescuing and caring for flying-foxes has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia.

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General

Humane Society International (HSI) has Campaigned for Flying-Fox Protection for Decades

HSI concentrates on the preservation of endangered animals and ecosystems and works to ensure quality of life for both domestic and wild animals. HSI is the largest animal protection not-for-profit organisation in the world and has been established in Australia since 1994.

Included in the Content Section is HSI's Head of Programs, Evan Quartermain's media release about the spectacled flying-fox status upgrade and his comments about the success of the NSW Netting Subsidy Scheme.

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Initiatives

Setting the Standard: A Well Managed Flying-Fox Colony & Happy Human Neighbouring Community

Grey-headed Flying-fox colony at Yarra Bend Park, Victoria, attracts 100,000 visitors a year.
Yarra Bend Park's success is based on the following:
1. A local, contactable authority from Parks Victoria, Stephen Brend.
2. A 'Friends of Bats Bushcare' Group who undertake planting, weed control, apply for grants and answer questions from the public.
3. Signage & pamplets which are held in all-weather holders which indicate permanency of the bat colony and the human neigbours who accept that the bats are a normal, happy part of the overall community.

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General

Big Nocturnal Bees: the Secret Life of Bats

'They are maligned as fruit thieves, disease carriers and even friends of Dracula. But there is a lot more to these mysterious creatures than meets the eye'.
Simone Fox Koob (April 22, 2019)

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Initiatives

Tolga Bat Hospital

Tolga Bat Hospital commenced in 1990 with the arrival of several orphans whose mothers were the victims of tick paralysis. Tolga Bat Hospital originally worked with bats from the Tolga Scrub and hence the name. The community group now works with all bats, megabat or microbat, from this region and afar. Bats come to Tolga Bat Hospital from remote rural areas many hundreds of kilometres away, and occasionally for sanctuary when retired from zoos.

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Threats

Climate Change & Bats - Merlin Tuttle 14 February 2019

Mass die-offs of bats and other animals are early warnings of serious environmental stress. There is now unequivocal evidence that climate change and associated weather extremes are accelerating due to human activities.

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Threats

Extremely Cruel Backyard Netting Killing & Maiming Fruit Bats (2018) - Victorian Report

Tree netting is a popular way to protect fruit from wildlife but the wrong type of netting can kill or injure animals such as birds, flying-foxes and possums.

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Threats

Wildlife-Safe Fruit Tree Netting Information Suitable for a Media Release

INFORMATION ABOUT WILDLIFE-SAFE FRUIT TREE NETTING SUITABLE FOR A MEDIA RELEASE TO HIGHLIGHT THE UNSUITABILITY AND DANGERS OF SUBSTANDARD NETTING BEFORE THE NEXT FRUIT GROWING SEASON.

SUBSTANDARD BACKYARD FRUIT TREE NETTING IS MAIMING AND KILLING WILDLIFE: ESPECIALLY FLYING-FOXES

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Initiatives

FFS supports The Great Koala National Park

The creation of a huge national park for our Koalas is a brilliant initiative that will drive the eco-tourism economy for northern NSW. Of course the preservation of an extra 175,000 hectares of native bush will also benefit our flying-fox friends and all species native to the area.

Unfortunately this brilliant initiative will not go ahead now that the State Liberal Government is in power. If the Berejiklian government is genuine about getting the koala off the extinction waiting list, it must rule out deforestation of koala habitat across the state.

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Initiatives

Reforesting the world: the Australian farmer with 240m trees to his name

Tony Rinaudo's regeneration technique, developed in west Africa 30 years ago, has helped bring back forest over 6m hectares.

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