Blackbutt childcare centre and school have flying fox problem

Parents and teachers of a Burnett child care centre and primary school are not happy a massive bat colony has taken up residence across the road, as tensions run high between some locals and the wildlife rescuers trying to help the animals.

A colony of about 15,000 flying foxes has migrated to the centre of Blackbutt, across the road from a child care centre and primary school, raising health and safety fears for the children.

The bats have migrated onto a private block of land on Sutton Street which has some residents “up in arms” according to one local.

The colony is directly across the road from the First Years Early Learning Centre and Blackbutt State School.

First Years Early Learning Centre director Megan Kilroy said the colony has exploded in size in recent weeks.

“They’re over the top of us all the time,” she said.

“There was a dead one earlier this week in the car park … we have had one of the educators get some bat poo on her hat.”

Nanango LNP MP Deb Frecklington had been contacted to see what could be done about the situation.

Wildlife rescuer Marjie Spies holds a baby flying fox that fell from its mother in Blackbutt.

“They’ve been talking to the council and the council is apparently going to set up some community meetings to discuss it,” Ms Kilroy said.

Wildlife rescuer Marjie Spies said some local residents had been verbally abusing rescuers trying to help the flying foxes.

One of her team members had been “on the verge of tears” over the entire situation, she said.

Despite the abuse, they continue to turn up every day to remove any dead bats and rescue injured and orphaned bats.

Dead flying foxes collected by wildlife rescuers.

“We’ve had a bat carer coming to help and advise us what to do. On Thursday she found 15 dead flying foxes, mainly baby endangered grey-headed flying foxes,” Ms Spies said.

Rescuer Janet Troupe said the bats moved into the area after the council cut down trees along the creek on Hart Street where they originally roosted.

The bats then moved into people’s yards where residents were advised to trim their trees back. The bats then relocated into the block of land on Sutton Street.

“Because food is so short and everything’s been so dry, these poor bats are just struggling,” Ms Troupe said.

“If the babies are too weak to hold on, they fall.”

A baby bat after being rescued by a wildlife carer. Photo supplied by the Bat Conservation and Rescue Queensland.

Bat Conservation and Rescue Queensland president Mel Brennan explained why the colony has exploded in size.

“The reason the numbers have swelled would be from the little reds. The little reds move through and they can be in a place from a couple of weeks to a couple of months … they’re very noisy and there’s a lot of them but then they move on.

“The reds will move on,” Ms Brennan said.

“The local wildlife carers are doing daily patrols to pick up any dead bats and to pick up any injured or alone orphans so that is going to keep the community safe.

“There is no danger … if you don’t touch them, they’re not a risk,” she said.

A large flying fox colony has taken over a street in Blackbutt.

One resident suggested the council try to move the bats on, but Ms Brennan said it would only make matters worse.

“Dispersal does not work … If they try and disperse this you will get them in people’s yards again.”

A Queensland Education spokesperson said the department was working to manage emerging flying fox migration and any impacts on Blackbutt State School and advised parents to contact the school principal if they had concerns.

“Actions being undertaken by the school include engaging wildlife carers to monitor and clear school grounds each day and educating students on how to act safely around bats,” the spokesperson said.

Ms Brennan said the bats were essential for forests and the survival of koalas who relied on them to pollinate the forests.

“Without them there is no native forest or koalas,” she said.