MERV Charnock is first to admit the thousands of flying foxes that lift from trees across the road from his East Cessnock house, and take up to half an hour to disappear from view, are “an amazing sight”.
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But they’re taking a toll on his health, the 67-year-old said.
Mr Charnock, who has suffered from asthma since he was five, is one of a number of residents living close to the flying fox camp behind East Cessnock Primary School who have doctors’ certificates saying the growing flying fox population is affecting their health.
“When it’s still and the smell really settles I get short of breath, it goes up my nose and I’ve got to take my puffer to breathe properly. It’s probably not going to kill me but it’s not pleasant,” Mr Charnock said.
An influx of little red flying foxes into the traditional flying fox camp on Crown land behind the school has pushed grey-headed flying foxes into surrounding areas, Environment Minister Mark Speakman said in a letter to Cessnock MP Clayton Barr.
The influx was probably caused by late flowering trees prompted by unseasonably hot weather well into autumn, Mr Speakman said.
Mr Barr said the spread of thousands of flying foxes outside the traditional camp was a significant issue for businesses in the area, the school and residents, and the Department of Primary Industries – Lands had failed to respond, leaving Cessnock City Council to take the lead on a management plan.
Mr Speakman said flying fox management plans helped to strike a balance between addressing community concerns and ensuring conservation of the species and animal welfare.
In a letter on May 13 Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair said DPI – Lands had considered making a funding proposal for the plan, while the flying foxes were confined to Crown land, but the spread to non-Crown land and rising complaints had prompted the council to take the lead.
Mr Barr criticised DPI – Lands for forcing the council to take action. Parents of children at East Cessnock Primary School had approached him with concerns about a growing number of flying foxes in trees on the school grounds.
“People ask me to come out here because it really is becoming a serious issue, but there’s nothing I can do because the flying foxes are protected,” he said.
Cessnock councillor James Ryan said the council’s response would be more defensible if the “pro-development council” had a better environmental record.
“What council has done is make it harder and harder for flying foxes to exist by removing their habitat,” Mr Ryan said.
