In recent days, the newly appointed NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson MP has made some alarming statements regarding the grey-headed flying-fox. In her media release[1], the Minister suggests that NSW may ask the Federal Government to reassess the listing of the grey-headed flying-fox under the EPBC Act, and has also suggested further options are being considered for crop protection, which risks an increase in the barbaric and cruel practice of shooting of flying-foxes.

Flying-foxes are currently experiencing a protracted food crisis, resulting from higher than average rainfalls along eastern coastal areas since 2010, compounded by recent floods. As a result, many bats are turning up in areas where they have not historically been found, such as Orange in NSW. They are then taking advantage of readily available food sources such as those provided by orchardists due to the food crisis. It is this activity that has prompted the Minister to make her statements.

It is clear to HSI that the grey-headed flying-foxes, in particular, are under considerable stress. It is highly unlikely that numbers of the species have increased, in fact HSI suspects that the species may be in decline. Due to the nomadic nature of the species, numbers of bats in an area can vary wildly from year to year. Increases in flying-fox sightings in one area or State cannot therefore be attributed to an increase or recovery of the species.

HSI needs your help to let the NSW Minister for Primary Industries and the NSW Minister for the Environment know the importance of the grey-headed flying-fox to the NSW environment, and to remind them of the need for rigorous independent scientific review before any decisions are made on the management of the grey-headed flying-fox.

HSI has written to the Ministers seeking an urgent meeting, but in the meantime we need your help. The NSW Government needs to hear your views.

Further information on HSI’s campaigns at www.hsi.org.au

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