... The National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) on the far north coast of NSW has been involved with issues of flying-fox damage to fruit crops since the early 1980s. Although shooting is an ineffective method of crop protection and is not the one preferred by the majority of fruit growers...

... million per year. Exclusion netting has proven to be the most effective method of protecting fruit crops from flying-foxes. However, concerns regarding the economic viability of netting have prevented its use in areas where market returns are relatively low, such as the Camden district of NSW. To test...

... of flying-foxes occur. In addition to new approval processes, there is a need for a significant and urgent research effort to develop and validate alternative crop protection strategies to those currently available. The immediate challenge is to source the necessary funds for this research effort...

... methods of deterrence was the presence of non-flying young during summer. Three methods were trialled, including sonic deterrence with a Phoenix Wailer (a crop protection system), olfactory deterrence with python excrement, and taste aversion with prawn paste. Trials with the Phoenix Bat Wailer...

... The NSW government has seen fit to list the Grey Headed Flying-fox (GHFF) as Vulnerable. The listing will limit the ability of fruit growers to protect their crops from damage by this species. The GHFF has been protected by government on behalf of the community. In my submission...

... Orchardists have used electrified grids, which kill or injure flying-foxes, to “protect” fruit crops. In recent years legal challenges to this practice have been mounted on conservation and animal cruelty grounds. A 2001 Federal Court judgement prohibited use of one 6.4km grid because...

... to be primary management tools despite their failure either to provide consistent protection to the commercial fruit industry or to resolve conflict at controversial camps. There is an urgent need to develop new approaches to flying-fox management. It is our view that effective methods of on-crop control...

...”; there is a need to both protect flying-fox populations and the crops of fruit growers; and the emergence of Australian Bat Lyssavirus and other viruses has made handling bats a risk. The conservation status of the Grey-headed Flying-fox and the Spectacled Flying-fox is currently being reviewed by the Scientific...

... No research funds have been made available to produce aversion agents and/or tactics to reduce the need for orchardists to cull flying-foxes to protect their crops. This has occurred despite many years of effort by growers to attract research funds from government and industry groups. It appears...

... Flying-foxes come into conflict with fruit growers when they raid fruit crops in response to limited native food resources. A standard technique used by fruit growers to deter flying-foxes has been to shoot the animals as they enter the orchard. This activity has been regulated by National Parks...

... flying-foxes, then it must recognise the genuine concerns of growers for their livelihoods, subsidise non-lethal modes of protecting crops, and provide support for research into cheaper and more effective means of protection. ...

... Humane Society International (HSI) is the largest animal protection organisation in the world. One of its campaign focuses in Australia is the Grey-headed Flying-fox. Of concern to HSI are high rates of habitat reduction for the species, and the killing that occurs where they come into conflict...