May 12, 2019
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.
BACKYARD FRUIT TREE NETTING, MAIMING AND KILLING WILDLIFE: ESPECIALLY FLYING-FOXES
THE PROBLEM:
During Spring & Summer, when fruit is ripening, backyard gardeners use wide-holed nets to protect their fruit & fig trees which entangle native animals killing and maiming them. These wide-holed, flimsy nets sit on the tree and don’t protect the edible fruit.
Flying-foxes Caught in Wide-Aperture, Flimsy, Inappropriate Fruit Tree Netting:
Habitats and food sources of native animals, have been so heavily encroached upon by urban sprawl and development that the animals are driven to backyard fruit trees. Unsafe netting entangles all sorts of animals, including pets, which often die from their injuries.
All our wildlife is in decline as a result of habitat destruction. However flying-foxes, the pollinators of our forests and seed dispersers of rainforest trees, are in serious decline, federal authorities now classify them as ‘vulnerable’.
Bites from snakes & bats caught in netting can be serious and require medical attention. The most common cause of human/bat interactions is, of course, entanglement in fruit tree netting.
Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV) is only present in about 1% in the entire flying-fox population. Although ABLV infection is more common in sick, injured and orphaned bats.
ABLV is transmitted by the saliva of an infected animal introduced via a bite or scratch or by contamination of mucous membranes or broken skin. In the event of a bat bite or scratch or other significant contact, seek medical attention immediately from your doctor or local hospital.
Bite or scratch wounds should be immediately washed thoroughly with soap and water for approximately 5 minutes and a virucidal antiseptic applied. Bat saliva in the eyes or mouth should be rinsed out immediately and thoroughly with water.
ABLV is not spread via bat droppings or urine. Although ABLV is extremely rare (only 3 reported cases in Australia), never touch a flying-fox or insect-eating microbat.
Always contact a wildlife group who will have vaccinated people trained in the rescue of a flying-fox entangled in netting, and will care for the animal once it is removed from the fruit tree netting.
NSW Health: Bat Bites & ABLV – Fact Sheet
THE SOLUTION:
Wildlife experts are urging people to get wildlife-safe netting which is a tightly woven mesh with small holes that a finger cannot pass through. Secondly, install it correctly ensuring that the net tightly covers the tree and that it is either tied to the tree trunk or fixed firmly to the ground with tent pegs.
For Wildlife Friendly Netting Advice Visit:
Wildlife-Safe Netting Information:
The netting must be tensioned as tight as trampoline fabric, to stop folds forming around the animal or bird when it lands on it. Ideally the animal should almost bounce off the netting rather than sink into it when it lands. A common brushtail possum can weigh up to 4 kg and a flying-fox up to 1 kg.
The best netting for crop protection is a fine mesh netting known as Hailguard. This robust fine mesh will also protect your fruit crop from fruit fly, coddling moth and hail.
Netting Etiquette:
Use only wildlife-safe/friendly netting and ask your neighbours to do the same.
Ask your gardening centre and hardware shop to stock only wildlife-friendly netting.
Check your nets morning and night.
Remove old netting that is not protecting fruit to avoid accidental entanglements and place in a sealed plastic bag and then place in a bin.
If an animal is trapped in or under the netting report it to a wildlife rescue organisation.
Never release wildlife that has been trapped in netting because they will require specialist assessment, medication and xrays to detect injuries. Many entangled animals can be suffering from exhaustion, stress and severe dehydration, and will require days of specialised care to ensure survival.
A Full List of NSW Rescue Organisations is Available from NSW Wildlife Council Inc.
