QLD:Gayndah bat colony to be removed

AAP General News (Australia)
08-12-2011
QLD:Gayndah bat colony to be removed

BRISBANE, Aug 12 AAP - A problem bat colony in a southern Queensland town will be moved
on after growing fears of the deadly Hendra virus.

Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) officers will on Friday visit
Gayndah to meet with Burnett Regional Council about the plans.

The Gayndah flying fox colony contains around 250,000 animals, made up of black and
little red flying foxes.

Most in the citrus growing town consider the colony a nuisance and a health risk, given
recent cases of Hendra disease, which is carried by bats, and is usually deadly to humans.

However flying foxes are protected under state and federal laws and deliberately interfering
with their roosts can incur heavy penalties.

DERM spokesman Clive Cook said a permit would allow the council to remove branches
where flying foxes roost.

"This will start after young flying foxes in the roost become fully independent which
we expect will be in about five weeks' time," Mr Cook said.

"Removal of the branches will take place while the flying foxes are absent from the
roost to discourage them from resettling at that location."

DERM will also work with the council to develop a plan to manage the colony over three years.

At the same time, a $40,000 research project will monitor and investigate the impacts
of dispersing the animals, focusing on their stress and risk of Hendra virus.

Gold Coast City Council has also applied for a permit to remove a colony at Southport.

There, resident Robyn Burgess is waiting to learn if she will be fined up to $100,000
and face possible jail time for trying to frighten the creatures away with an air horn.

AAP gd/jnb

KEYWORD: HENDRA

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