By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
SUMMER’S heatwave took its toll on Geelong’s flying fox colony, with around 300 juveniles dying and many others requiring rehydration.
Department of Primary Industries’ Mark Breguet said four straight days of 40 degrees Celsius in January also affected small marsupials such as possums.
Eastern Park has a colony of up to 17,000 grey-headed flying-foxes, which are susceptible to extreme heat.
Colonies in south-eastern Queensland suffered one of the most dramatic animal die-offs recorded in Australia when about 45,500 flying foxes died on one day of extreme heat this year.
Mr Breguet said Corio Bay breezes prevented a higher death toll in Geelong.
“The Eastern Park site is reasonably bat-friendly, being on the southern end of the bay.”
Mr Breguet said authorities taped off an area around the colony to allow injured bats to recover.
Wildlife shelters treated injured bats, he said.
“They gave them fluids and rehydrated them so they could re-join the colony. It doesn’t take long.”
Mr Breguet said the presence of lyssavirus among the bats meant the public should leave injured flying foxes alone.
“Only those trained and properly immunised should handle the bats.”
Mr Breguet said injured wildlife could be reported by phoning 136 186 or 0417 380 687.
