A NEWLY formed group has called for an investigation into whether flying foxes are still endangered.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The ‘Flying Fox Action Committee Tamworth’ (FFACT) says the bats residing along the Peel River has reached “infestation” proportions and is looking for a long term solution.
Committee spokesperson Craig Cox wants to know “what criteria they’re still classed as protected or endangered”.
“We don’t believed that creating buffer zones and chopping down exotic trees is sustainable in the long term,” he told The Leader.
“The council can only do so much on this because of the regulation, so we’re going to see if we can go around and outside government and council channels and get directly to the source.”
The Tamworth flying fox population has swelled drastically in recent weeks putting on strain on residents and businesses in effected areas.
Mr Cox joined the calls for priorities to be flipped in addressing the management of the uninvited guests.
“It’s at a stage now where it’s people before bats,” he said.
The group are seeking research from the NSW Scientific Committee and the Office of Environment and Heritage to answer community concerns, with a view to removing flying foxes from the endangered species list.
The group also believes that measures such as disbursement, or vegetation clearing are neither practicable nor sustainable – and may have impacts for other flora and fauna such as native birds.
RELATED STORIES:
- Bats are more important than people, according to residents living among hundreds of thousands of flying foxes
- Council starts removing non-native trees along the Peel River in a bid to help those affected by the town’s flying fox population.
- Tamworth business counts the cost with huge flying fox influx.
“The trees were there before the bats arrived, and they have always attracted a variety of native birds,” Mr Cox said.
“FFACT believes the impacts on more than one species – including human beings - as well as the risks for business, agriculture and tourism, must be considered as part of addressing this issue.”
Tamworth farmer Ian Coxhead has joined the committee calling for a change of attitude and expressing concern for the agricultural sector in the region.
“I think it’s about time we put people before bats and got fair dinkum about this,” he said.
“There are primary producers who live along here who grow lucerne hay and that lucerne hay is fed out to livestock including horses.
“I think it is very important for people to get realistic and consider the people that live along here.”