Cairns flying fox dispersal sends bats to new Manoora home
Thousands of flying foxes have taken a new home after being evicted from the Cairns CBD – but it is not where authorities intended.
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
EVICTING bat colonies is a bit like herding cats, in that you never know where they might end up.
That has certainly been true for Cairns Regional Council’s latest dispersal effort — but fortunately, things have worked out well.
The council initially planned to send thousands of flying foxes from a roost outside the Cairns Library to the central swamp near Severin St.
It was a partial success, but the majority of bats have taken up lodgings elsewhere.
MORE NEWS
Sweet deal for mum and dad investors
How Cairns rates compare to rest of state
Squatters ruining pristine stretch of beach
The Cairns Post tracked down significant roosts at Goomboora Park in Brinsmead and Anderson Street Conservation Park in Manoora — both relatively removed from residential areas.
A new report before the council states there has been a grand total of zero complaints from the general public about animals turning up next to their homes because of the deterrent activities.
The council has also received new extension approvals to keep up its dispersal program until October 1.
Division 2 councillor Rob Pyne used this week’s council meeting to ask whether the run of extensions would ever end.
“We initially had a five-day approval, then a 30-day approval, now we’ve got 90 days,” he said.
“Will this go on without end, or is there an end game here?
“Many concerns have been raised with me regarding the dispersal.”
He pressed council CEO John Andrejic on whether any further extensions would be sought at the end of the 90 days, but the response was noncommittal.
“I’m not willing to comment on what might or might not happen at the end of 90 days at this point,” Mr Andrejic said.
“We’ll see what happens as we go through the 90 days.”
The report said deterrent measures had been scaled back with “a very minimal amount of stimulus is being used, predominantly light and very short and minimal use of the LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device)”.
Originally published as Cairns flying fox dispersal sends bats to new Manoora home