Flying foxes returned to Eurobodalla weeks ahead of their usual schedule this year.
Eurobodalla Council's natural resources officer India Howlett says that may be due to many reasons, including dry spring conditions along much of the coast.
"With less forest flowers currently blooming, we expect more of the bats to follow their nose into gardens seeking food. For residents protecting their fruit trees, it's essential they use wildlife-friendly netting." Ms Howlett says.
"Standard household nets easily entangle flying foxes, as well as birds and other wildlife. If you can push your finger through the holes, the net's not safe for wildlife."
Flying foxes are key to forest health, pollinating eucalypt species and spreading native seeds across large distances to keep ecosystems functioning. Grey-headed flying foxes – the species found in Eurobodalla – are listed as threatened and are fully protected.
"It's wrong, and illegal, to harass flying foxes. And if you come across a flying fox in trouble do not touch it as special handling is needed and appropriate vaccinations essential – for the bat's health and for yours," Ms Howlett says.
"This applies if you see a flying fox that is alone hanging low to or on the the ground, caught on powerlines or fences, or is a pup without its mother. In these cases, call WIRES so trained experts can rescue and rehabilitate the troubled bat. There's also the IFAW Wildlife Rescue app for our phone that lists your options based on your location."
The local WIRES branch has already juggled a bumper season of flying fox rescues, with their first call-out on Friday 17 October for a powerline electrocution, though calls for help have now stabilised. Many rescues involved females carrying babies and powerline incidents remain the most common.
WIRES Mid-South Coast flying fox coordinator Shelley Clarke says the pattern is consistent across rescue groups along the coast.
"Dry conditions and scarce food are pushing flying foxes into riskier spots, and volunteers are seeing more babies coming into care as a result," Ms Clarke says.
"Barbed wire, particularly on farms, is another hazard for flying foxes, especially during lean times when they are travelling further for food. Smooth wire or removing the top strand entirely can save the lives of flying foxes and other wildlife like gliders and raptors."
Ms Howlett says Eurobodalla has nine flying fox camps at Batemans Bay water gardens, the Catalina golf club, Moruya Heads, Moruya's Riverside Park, Moruya central (by the golf course), Moruya east (near the Princes Highway and South Head Road intersection), Tuross Head, Potato Point and Narooma. Currently there are 250 flying foxes at Catalina and 500 at Riverside Park. While numbers can fluctuate Council keeps up-to-date estimates of local populations, which generally visit the shire from early summer to mid-winter.
"People interested in the numbers can visit the flying foxes page on Council's website," says Ms Howlett.
"Those numbers are accurate and updated frequently while the bats visit our region. There is also the Australian Flying Fox Monitor site that keeps track of numbers nationally, but keep in mind it is not always timely."
Ms Howlett reminds residents that Council is not able to move flying foxes on from their camps but can help minimise their impact on residents.
