Flying-foxes
Flying-foxes (commonly referred to as fruit bats or bats) are protected species and it is an offence to kill or injure them, or to interfere with their roosts.
Flying-foxes play an important role in maintaining healthy ecosystems as essential pollinators and seed dispersers for native forests. In turn, these forests provide valuable timber, act as carbon sinks, stabilise our river systems and water catchments, and promote recreation and tourism opportunities returning millions of dollars to our economy each year.
If flying foxes are impacting on the health and wellbeing of the public or causing damage in a community, landowners or councils can apply to the department for a damage mitigation permit (DMP) to safely manage a roost.
In short, a DMP will allow for dispersal of flying-foxes by non-lethal means in an effort to move them to a new location. This includes use of a bright light or noise-based deterrents for a sustained period of time. However, dispersal of a flying-fox roost will only be considered as a last option.
Flying-foxes can be hosts to a number of viruses. However, they usually avoid contact with people. More commonly, scratches or bites occur if someone handles an animal.
Queensland Health advises that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of Hendra virus. There is also no evidence that the virus can be passed directly from flying-foxes to humans, from the environment to humans, from humans to horses, or that it is airborne. For more information, visit Queensland Health or Biosecurity Queensland.
Last updated 16 May 2012