TWO new advisory groups will be formed to monitor the movements of flying-foxes in Queensland after they invaded Charters Towers in plague proportions in December.
Charters Towers Regional Council will establish a Flying Fox Advisory Group to investigate future management strategies, while the Queensland Government will enlist a range of experts including Indigenous rangers and the Queensland Herbarium gain an understanding of what drives the animals’ behaviour.
The state government has joined the CSIRO to monitor 13 little red flying-foxes, which were tagged in Charters Towers and tracked via satellite.
Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said researchers believed the influx of flying-foxes in Charters Towers was due to a flowering event, with melaleuca and bloodwood trees producing sweet nectar at that time.
“Interestingly, of the 13 little red flying-foxes tagged so far as part of this research, none stayed in Charters Towers. Instead, they have traveled across much of north and central Queensland, covering hundreds of kilometres.”
She acknowledged managing the breed was becoming increasingly challenging due to their mobility.
“They are also becoming increasingly challenging due to their tendency to move into roosts in urban and suburban areas,” she said.
Ms Enoch said the next step for the project was to enlist the aid of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rangers, local governments, the Queensland Herbarium, and other partners to help increase understanding of what drives the animals’ behaviour.
CSIRO flying-fox expert Dr David Westcott who is leading the research said the project aimed to understand how the animals were distributed across North Queensland and how changing food resources influenced their movements.
“In the satellite tracking study conducted over the past year, we tracked 13 little reds from Charters Towers, up to 800km north to Cape York Peninsula, and more than 650km south to Carnarvon Gorge,” Dr Westcott said.
“It’s likely to be the search for native flowering plants, which are their food source, which caused them to leave Charters Towers and travel so widely.”
Council surveyed residents last year to garner the community’s opinion about what most concerned them about the bats and how they should be best managed.
A total of 1333 residents completed the survey
Mayor Liz Schimdt said council had spent over $430,000 on dispersal measures in the past and no long-term solution had been found.
“Since 2001, the different Councils have applied for 20 permits and spent a lot of ratepayers’ money on dispersal activities,” Ms Schmidt.
A total of 169 residents called for an annual culling of flying foxes to control numbers, while others wanted to see them permanently relocated.
“I know a lot of residents would like to see culling happen. As a Council, we must obey the law. Culling flying foxes can only be used by farmers as a last resort.”
Residents expressed concern over disease, smell, noise and safety of children, while others bemoaned the use of parks and facilities being hampered, after Lissner Park, Centennial Park and the Kennedy Regiment Memorial Pool were all closed in December due to safety concerns.
Ms Schmidt said council would work with the community within the confines of legislation to come up with long-term strategies. An advisory group will be formed in February and will include members of council, senior staff and members of the community.
