Work begins on flying fox removal – Gold Coast Bulletin News
WORK has begun to disperse more than 1000 flying foxes living near Gold Coast Equine Precinct at Bundall in a bid to lower the risk of a Hendra virus outbreak.
Environmentalists, however, have slammed the plan saying the bat colony has lived at Goldmarket Reserve for years without ever posing a threat to nearby horses.
The Department for Environment and Resource Management approved the plan to disperse the colony last week. The three-week project started yesterday.
Trees with a diameter less than 15cm will be removed.
Gold Coast and Hinterland Environment Council secretary Lois Levy said removing the trees and dispersing the bats was extreme.
"I think there is a lot of misinformation out there and I am disappointed they have gone to these extremes," she said.
Flying foxes are the natural host for Hendra virus and spread the disease from flying foxes to horses and, rarely, from horses to people.
Queensland Health states there have seven confirmed Hendra virus infections in humans since 1994, with four of the cases proving fatal.
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