FIRSTLY Singleton, then Aberdeen and now Murrurundi – it seems flying foxes are determined to make their home in the Upper Hunter.
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An issue, which has plagued other neighbouring towns in recent years, looks set to continue following news that a colony has landed in Murrurundi.
And, Upper Hunter Shire Council is encouraging residents to avoid contact with the animals and to fill in a survey to assist in creating a flying fox camp management plan for the shire.
The risk to human health is low unless you are bitten or scratched by a bat.
Residents should avoid contact with flying fox faeces and wash hands thoroughly if in an area where there are large numbers of flying foxes.
The Murrurundi colony is located where locals call the “Blue Hole” on the Pages River.
It’s close to the Boyd Street well infiltration system, however this is not where town water is being drawn from.
Murrurundi’s water is currently being drawn from further up the river.
Council’s director of environmental and customer services Mat Pringle said council had sought advice from the NSW Department of Health and the Office of Environment and Heritage and all available information suggests that the risks to public health is low.
Nevertheless, human health will always be foremost in any of council’s actions.
Research indicates that the Australian Bat Lyssavirus, in the saliva of flying foxes, is found in only one per cent of free living flying foxes.
Infection is rare and has only been known to occur as a result of a bite or scratch contaminated with saliva from a flying fox.
Health authorities have stated there is no known risk of contracting Lyssavirus from bats flying overhead, contact with bat urine or faeces.
It is only known to exist outside the mammalian host for less than a few hours.
Hendra Virus infections are rare, too.
There is no evidence that people can catch Hendra directly from flying foxes.
The virus can be transmitted following close contact with the blood or saliva of an infected horse, or other animal.
It is believed horses can be infected by food, which has recently been contaminated by saliva/urine or birth fluids of an infected flying fox.
As such, horses should not graze in areas where camps are established.
“We know that flying fox camps are currently being found in unusual localities across the state due to food shortages in late 2016 and significant heat events earlier this year,” Mr Pringle said.
“We are hoping that the flying foxes in Murrurundi will move on once the local food sources diminish.”
Council has been working with Hunter Councils, the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and the local community to develop a camp management plan for the Upper Hunter Shire to minimise the impacts on the community, while conserving flying foxes in their habitat.
As part of the development of this plan, council is asking residents to complete a survey about the flying foxes, which is available on council’s website or www.flyingfoxengage.com/Aberdeen and has been extended until April 28.
“Council is asking the community for their views on how to manage flying fox camps in the Upper Hunter,” Mr Pringle said.
“While the survey only mentions the Aberdeen camp, any resident can fill in the survey and include details of where they are being impacted by a camp.
“There are a number of possible tools we can use such as revegetating and managing land to create alternative flying fox habitat or providing signs and other information about safety guidelines around camps.”
The online survey asks users to rank a series of questions from “not important” to “extremely important” and based on the answers, generates a tailored list of management options.
The survey also includes information about flying fox behaviour, the complexity of each management option and the strategies under consideration.
Flying foxes are a protected species in NSW and have an important role in pollination.
If you encounter an injured flying-fox, contact Wildlife Aid on 0429 850 089 or, if you find a dead bat on public land, phone council on 6540 1100 to remove it.