AS Tamworth’s flying fox population grows, so does the frustration, fury and passion – in fact it’s reached boiling point.
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The flying mammals have distinctly divided the community in a number of ways, in a number of places.
Residents who have the bats roosting near their property are distressed about their slice of paradise being lost and claim it’s more about the bats’ welfare than impacted humans.
They’ve put the pressure on council to ramp up its management plan.
Council is the closest level of government to the people, so they bear the brunt of the complaints.
But its hands are tied by federal legislation and state government authority.
More residents are trying to take the lead on some action, rallying some pressure on the state government by adding to the outcry of ‘the bats before people’ chorus.
Now, our state MP Kevin Anderson wants to look into just how endangered the bats are and says culling should be an option when the population swells to a certain, unspecified benchmark.
Which has got everyone in a flap.
Culling is a drastic measure, even when it is crisis time, according to council.
And a number of people have been quick to point out that it wouldn’t be a permanent fix.
Frustrations are running high and it seems everyone either wants an answer to the problem, or to provide an answer.
Whatever the solution for Tamworth is, it won’t come about with aggression.
A little bit of patience and respect might be what is in order.
The situation may be bad now, it has been bad before, and maybe the creatures will return in the future.
At this point, council has done as much as it can with the situation, and change isn’t going to come about as quickly as some might want.
Yet we have to respect the unwanted situation some residents have found themselves in.
The place they call home isn’t the sanctuary it once was, forced to change the way they live to accommodate an uninvited guest, which cannot be moved.
Everyone has a right to have a say on this issue because it is now the town’s problem, through no fault of anyone.
But it’s time to be respectful of everyone’s perspective and use a bit of patience.