Flying Foxes

The little red flying fox is a nomadic species that move seasonally in response to the patterns of flowering Eucalypts and paperbarks. Little reds are noticeably smaller than the other flying fox species that are present in Ipswich permanently.

Little reds can often be seen roosting in extremely close proximity to one another. As the species exist as a large nomadic population that packs huge numbers of bats in a small area, summer influxes of little reds temporarily swell the size of the colony, increasing the volume of noises and smells for a period of time.

As little reds are seasonal, generally by April they leave Ipswich and continue their migration northwards, leading to a drop in local flying fox numbers.

Like all native and domestic animals, flying foxes can carry diseases. Research by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Queensland Health, Biosecurity Queensland and others has shown that some species of bat act as a natural reservoir of infection for both Hendra virus and Australian bat lyssavirus.

Fortunately, there are suitable and easy solutions to reduce the level of risk.

Most importantly – NEVER TOUCH or handle a flying-fox. No touch, no risk.

If a flying fox is injured or has come to ground in your backyard DO NOT TOUCH it, keep people and pets away and contact:

• Bat Rescue 3062 6730 (Ipswich)
• Bat Conservation and Rescue Queensland 0488 228 134

Only those few trained individuals who are protected by vaccination and suitable equipment should handle bats. This advice is not limited only to flying foxes but is also true for insectivorous bats.

Keep horse watering and feeding locations away from trees where flying foxes may feed or roost.

For more information on diseases related to flying foxes and measures to minimise the risk to humans and animals, see Queensland Government webpages on viruses hosted by flying foxes

Flying foxes usually choose to feed on nectar from native Eucalypt species, as well as fig trees and select fruit trees. Fruit trees such as mango trees are generally a secondary food source, but used more frequently in urban areas when local flying fox numbers are high. Flying foxes will generally utilise a food source for a very limited time and move on when it is depleted. Most trees will only be used for a couple of weeks every year.

• Fruit that has been partly eaten by flying foxes should not be consumed by people.
• Fruit covered in guano (bat droppings) should be washed thoroughly and peeled prior to consumption.
• Non-peelable, contaminated fruit such as mulberries should be avoided as a matter of good hygiene practice.
• Fauna-friendly netting or placing paper bags over fruit can be an effective technique in deterring feeding flying foxes. For more information on suitable netting techniques: Netting Fruit Trees.

Overall flying fox numbers have declined in the last century due to widespread clearing of native foraging and roosting habitat for agriculture and urban development, and culling practices across their range.

These habitat losses have accumulated to about two-thirds of South-East Queensland’s native vegetation, with an almost 90 per cent reduction of broad-leaf paperbark forests, which are the primary source of winter food for nectar-feeding flying foxes.

Flying foxes are highly nomadic species that move thousands of kilometres across Australia in search of food. Localised events such as bushfires, droughts, food shortages or food abundances will greatly influence flying fox numbers and may lead to short-term influxes at suitable locations. This does not mean that they will remain in those numbers long-term.

The reduction in habitat has forced flying foxes to find other habitats, including patches of bushland in urban areas. Flying foxes have highly complex social structures and communicate knowledge of feeding and roosting sites across groups and even generations. Therefore, their choice of urban roosting sites may be linked to historic connections with the site prior to development and is also influenced by available water and food within the urban landscape and backyard plantings.

This has led to increased contact and conflict with humans. Where large roosts occur close to residential areas, the potential for conflict increases as the noise and odour associated with their daily interactions may disrupt the lifestyle of nearby residents.

Flying fox roosts are protected under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992, it is an offence to destroy a roost, attempt to drive away flying foxes from a roost and disturb a roost, unless a person is authorised to do so.

However, all persons are authorised to undertake low impact activities on their property (such as mulching, mowing, weeding and watering), but the activities must be done in accordance with the Code of Practice: Low impact activities affecting flying fox roosts, Nature Conservation Act 1992.

Operating outside of the code of practice without an authority may have legal consequences.

Private residents can apply to the Queensland Government for a Flying Fox Roost Management Permit.

What you may do:

• Mulching and watering under or near roost trees
• Mowing and weeding
• Minor trimming of roost trees by hand. Up to 10 per cent of canopy in a 12 month period when flying foxes are not present
• Installation, maintenance or removal of infrastructure

What you can’t do:

• DO NOT TOUCH flying foxes. No touch, no risk.
• Low impact activities are not to disturb, drive away or otherwise negatively impact flying foxes
• Tree trimming must not be undertaken when flying foxes are within the tree or nearby (for example, within 10 metres)
• Roost trees are not to be removed.

Flying foxes are highly mobile wild animals. Their choices for roosting and feeding locations cannot be controlled or readily predicted.

Council's role is to monitor and advise people on how to minimise the impacts of living near flying foxes.

Ipswich City Council has voluntarily developed and adopted policies and plans related to flying fox roost management. Attempting to move a flying fox colony is called a dispersal. Flying fox roost dispersals are very expensive and rarely achieve the desired outcome.

Studies of historical flying fox dispersals indicate that colonies in general will move less than 500 metres from their original roost location if there is other suitable habitat. Given that most roosts are in urban areas, the problem is rarely solved and instead shifted from one location to another.

Council is committed to:

• Regular monitoring of known and new roosts
• Providing advice to community members
• Managing roosts on council land
• Enhancing habitat outside of urban areas.

Council will not undertake the following:

• Management of roosts on private land
• Dispersal or destruction of roosts.

For humans, flying foxes can create noise and smell. Flying foxes use sound as a means of communication, and as their hearing is similar to humans their calls are clearly audible to our ears.

Flying foxes use smell to help identify each other and communicate things like ‘keep your distance’. One dominant odour is a musk-like ‘perfume’ that males use to mark their breeding territories.

• Plan ahead for the summer influx by trimming trees near your house, swimming pool and other high use areas, removing understorey vegetation and mulching under trees (in accordance with the Code of Practice) before flying fox numbers increase
• Bring your washing in before dusk or install a clothesline cover
• Home upgrades such as double glazing and airconditioning enable windows to be closed in summer to reduce noise
• Park your car undercover
• Use fauna-friendly netting on your fruit trees
• Use a pool cover
• Avoid disturbances such as loud noises, as flying foxes make more noise when they are stressed.

For more information on the lifestyle of flying foxes and minimising their impact on daily life: Living With Flying Foxes.

Flying foxes are critical for our environment, their pollination of plants is vital to many ecosystems, so it’s important we try to look after their populations as best we can. You can educate others on the importance of flying foxes and help to change people’s opinions of them.

Flying foxes are under threat due to a decline in feeding habitat and reduction in the number of suitable roost sites. You can increase the amount of feeding habitat available by planting native feed trees, such as eucalypt and paperbark trees away from houses on your property.  Council's Free Plant Program provides a range of native species, subject to availability.

You can also volunteer to join a Bushcare group to help restore habitat along waterways which might one day become a suitable flying fox roost.  Or you may like to support an Ipswich wildlife care group to help rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured wildlife.

Flying foxes are heavily impacted by droughts and bushfires which can significantly reduce the amount of pollen their feed trees are able to produce and the amount of water available for flying foxes to drink.  During drought periods, keep an eye out for distressed or sick flying foxes and phone flying fox carers immediately.  You can also supplement native wildlife’s water supply by providing clean water in a container secured in a tree.

Barbwire can destroy the bats’ mouths and wings. If possible, do not use barbwire. Another option is to cover the barbwire (with polypipe) or make it more easily seen (with reflective tags), next to flying-fox feeding or drinking places. If you have a barbwire fence which no longer serves a purpose, please, have it removed. Removing barbwire will also reduce injury to other wildlife such as birds and gliders.

Ideally netting should not be used at all, but if you must use netting to protect your fruit trees there are ways to reduce risk to wildlife. Loose netting and/or thin nylon/monofilament netting should never be used. See Netting Fruit Trees for more information.

Any bat found by alone during daylight hours is likely to be in trouble. It may be injured, sick, orphaned or electrocuted. In addition, bats in trouble seen between late September and January may be females and have young attached. Therefore, it is important to act as soon as you notice the animal.

• NEVER touch a flying fox. No touch, no risk.
• If a flying fox is injured or has come to ground in your backyard DO NOT TOUCH it, keep people and pets away and contact:
  • Bat Rescue 3062 6730 (Ipswich)
  • Bat Conservation and Rescue Queensland 0488 228 134