A colony of 22,000 bats will soon be leaving the gardens. Image: Shutterstock
The bats in the Sydney Botanic Gardens have lost their court appeal and will soon be facing eviction.
The flying foxes lost their appeal on the 17th of February, after Federal Court Justice Dennis Cowdroy rejected the claims of environment group Bat Advocacy. The group challenged the decision of Environment Minister Peter Garret to relocate the bats over a 30 year period, arguing that he had not assessed the risks to the bat colony.
The colony, consisting of over 22,000 flying foxes, is destroying some of the trees in the Botanic Gardens, including. The Botanic Gardens Trust have lost 26 trees, 20 palms and a number of understorey plants in the last 20 years due to bat activity.
The bats have also damaged over 300 plants during their occupation, including rare, heritage and scientifically valuable species. The Botanic Gardens Trust plan to make the bats move on using ‘noise harassment techniques’.
The noise is aimed at preventing the bats from roosting in the gardens and seeking out a new place to live. The bats were given a reprieve in 2009, but last Thursday Justice Cowdroy said Mr Garret had properly considered the issues.
Source: ABC news
Robert
February 22, 2011
“The noise is aimed at preventing the bats from roosting in the gardens and seeking out a new place to live. The bats were given a reprieve in 2009, but last Thursday Justice Cowdroy said Mr Garret had properly considered the issues.”
Did the bats have representation in court? We destroy natural habitat for the convenience of developers then we wonder why the bats roost in the botanical gardens, the councils and town planners should be evicted not the bats. Head shaking is the only reaction I have on this article. Disgusted really.
Alan McBride
March 29, 2011
Similar issues in sout east Queensland at Nambour.