TAMWORTH'S most controversial residents - flying foxes - are set to flourish over the next few months, with numbers expected to drastically escalate.
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But one local wildlife carer is eager to reduce the stigma associated with the protected species.
Every year, Northern Tablelands Wildlife carer and flying fox advocate Jae Price cares for dozens of the furry critters in her own home that have been injured, and nurses them back to good health.
The organisation is part of a push to have Tamworth's annual country music fireworks display moved to another area, or changed to a laser light display, due to their close proximity to the city's flying fox colonies.
"I was down there at Australia Day this year and because it echos down along the river, the poor little things were flying around freaked right out," she said.
"Because it's a maternity colony I'm asking the council if they would take the initiative to either look at a laser light show or move them down to the old showgrounds where it's not going to effect the babies."
Orange City Council have recently switched to a laser light show, she said.
The topic will be discussed during a meeting with Tamworth Regional Council and wildlife organisations on September 14.
Despite the concern, Ms Price believes Tamworth council generally does a great job managing the colonies through their camp management plan.
But a new recovery plan for the Grey Headed Flying Fox prepared by the Australian government to stop the species' decline includes recommendations to reduce harmful or stressful situations, she said.
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She said love them or hate them, they're essential for our environment.
"We're trying to save our species that help us in the long term," she added.
"If you take one species out, another species will fail, then another. A lot of people don't even know why they're there.
"They just think they're disease ridden vermin while everything carries disease even us humans."
With spring finally here, flying fox breeding season has arrived and it's set to be a bumper year for the species.
"They start to have their pups around September, through to December and they are going to come in on mass," Ms Price said.
"Tamworth has a nationally recognised maternity camp site for the flying fox and we just have to not harass them.
"If you don't harass them and don's stress them out then they live happily in their own little blissful, noisy camp and so do we."
Locals can report injured wildlife by calling Northern Tablelands Wildlife Carers on 0408 555 719.
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