The Queensland city of Cairns has taken strong action to solve its flying fox ‘problem’.
There has been mounting concern over the huge number of bats in the Cairns library area with Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO, Alex de Waal, claiming they were “not conducive to a positive tourism profile for the region”.
Roosting trees have now been heavily pruned and the animals, including the protected spectacled flying fox, have all but vanished from the city library and Novotel Oasis Resort sites.
Mayor Bob Manning declared the controversial dispersal efforts successful.
“We haven’t seen any flying foxes in any of the trees other than the one tree on Lake St that is yet to be pruned,” he told the Cairns Post. “Further dispersal activities may take place either at the roost or other areas of the city at a later date if required.”
The pruning sparked protests by animal rights activists, and the Australian Department of Environment is reviewing claims the council violated provisions for the colony’s relocation.
Cairns is not the only tourism destination to wrestle with a flying dilemma. While some argue that the bats are noisy, smelly and a health hazard, others believe they can be a tourist drawcard.
Certainly, the bats at places such as the Northern Territory’s Mataranka Hot Spirngs do generate a high level of interest from visitors.
Maree Kerr from the Australasian Bat Society told the Cairns Post that bat tourism should be embraced and promoted. She argues that the dozens of visitors who congregate on streets to watch the flying foxes would be best served by a tour operator.
“When you see people standing there, just staring, they’re just open-mouthed,’’ she said. “If that’s facilitated by somebody who actually knows what they’re talking about and takes them to a really good spot to see them, and can tell them what they’re seeing, it’s a highlight of that person’s wildlife experience.”
She said other places across the world benefited greatly from bat tourism. She said, for example, that bat enthusiasts from all over the world travelled to Austin, Texas, to view the city’s nightly flight of thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats. She said that the tourism experience was promoted by the city, and serviced by private tour operators, and attracted 180,000 people a year to Austin.
Hate flying foxes, visited Evans Head caravan park a couple of years ago and what the permanents had to endure from these disgusting creatures was a disgrace
Disgusting creatures hey Dave, so if you dont like something it has no right to leave near humans, in its natural habitat ? Of course all humans are perfect arent they….. Give me a flying fox over some people any day…..
Actually, in Bairnsdale, people resided for 100 years in the affected area before flying foxes moved in. Visit http://www.natbat.net.au for more information.
I have several times traveled hundreds of kilometers to see large flying fox colonies in Queensland, NSW and the NT. They are probaby the most maligned native mammal, but at the same time more important that many of the so-called iconic species. As someone who is fascinated by them and has taken the time to learn about them and study them, I’m surprised by the community issues. They are not vermin, hardly ever interact with humans, and there’s nothing particularly “disgusting” about them. They are fanatically clean, and some studies indicate that they are on a similar intelligence level to other primates.
Lets not forget we moved into their habitat, and not the other way around.
Yes they are noisy when in large groups, but then, next time you are at a shopping mall or similar public venue, have a listen. The fact is that when we gather in numbers we are actually far noisier than them… and there are far, far more people in Queensland that there are Spectacled flying foxes.
I find that people who actually take the time to learn about these animals, seldom dislike them. Maybe if people spent a bit more time learning about the Australian environment instead of listening to the rubbish peddled my ignorant politicians and journalists, we would all be better off.
One of the unusual aspects of Evans Head, totally unrelated to camping, is one of the largest colonies of flying foxes on the east coast – during the day they roost in the low scrub behind the sand-dunes north of the caravan park, then at dusk they fly south-west over the caravan park and town – this is not as horrendous as expected as they haven’t eaten yet and there are relatively few ‘deposits’ dropped from the sky. The amazing thing about this nightly exodus, is that it starts small with a few dozen flying over, then within a few minutes, the sky is literally black with them – when you look up there are many thousands visible overhead and the column is over 200-300 metres wide – but this continuous flypast lasts for nearly fifteen minutes before the ‘flow’ subsides – there must be around 300-400,000 in the colony. I have never seen so many in one place. Anyone who reckons they are an endangered species should come to Evans Head and see that is definitely not the case.
We have a small colony on the Gippsland Plains rail trail, on the Tinamba side of Maffra, a mostly liked colony, I think. On the other hand the big colony on the river in Bairnsdale is very unpopular with residents. If I still had horses Hendra virus would worry me greatly. I feel uncomfortable eating under trees full of them, as happened in Cairns. Not hygienic. But they have to live somewhere, so it is a matter of only moving them in cases of real conflict.
I attended school just up the road from a big colony of fruit bats at Wingham brush and they are foul smelling creatures and I agree the are not hygienic at all. I would not go near a place which have them.
I have travelled to visit towns that have a flying-fox colony. They are interesting to watch, and pollinate the local forests. A bat colony is certainly an asset to an area in my opinion.
Good to see other sensible comments about these creatures. Makes me laugh that some of the human race seem to think we own everything and can do what we want, just because we can do some things that animals cannot, but in reality animals are far smarter than us at surviving without a doubt,. Who are the ones ruining this planet….. that would be humans of course ( politicians even more )…. not flying foxes… When we go camping we enjoy being next to nature, as it was intended. i dont want to go to a zoo to look at the last few remaining flying foxes left, becasue we destroyed their habitat areas, just because they were near humans, which sadly some people would do.
Bats put my wife and I in hospital for over a week with lung infection. I now have irrepairable scarring of the lungs. Filthy animals. Cant see need forprotection when there must be billions of them.
In Bairnsdale, we have lodged a campaign which we want to go national after 9 years of trying to get rid of GHFF from our residential area. get on board and respond YES to our survey. Supported by East Gippsland Shire Council.
These creatures are amazing and as a tourist from the UK I see them as a bonus for your city