![Tenambit neighbour Mary O’Riley appealed to Maitland Council for help in November. Tenambit neighbour Mary O’Riley appealed to Maitland Council for help in November.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/32YmRiivtENukX3prXGk2iY/496d4967-3257-41c3-926a-ede67412b6ee.jpg/r0_307_6000_3694_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
MAITLAND Council have resolved develop a management policy to manage a flying fox colony in Tenambit.
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It comes after neighbour Mary O’Riley made a plea to Council for help last month. Earlier this month, another resident, Kevin Fowler, appealed to council about the situation.
“It has now become a major concern, and needs to be addressed urgently,” he said.
“We cannot use the area [backyard] anymore because of the obnoxious smell and noise.”
The population has increased in recent months as the warmer weather sets in, and is now estimated to be between 400 and 500 bats.
Council will work with landowners and the surrounding community in managing the issue, and prepare a local government area camp management policy which will submitted to the Office of Environment and Heritage for approval.
It will then be adopted by Council to provide policy direction for similar situations within Maitland.
Liberal councillor Mitchell Griffin praised the timely return of the council’s report.
“It’s good to see this one come back. I know going into the warmer weather, we are seeing bats … falling out of the trees and dying from the heat,” Cr Griffin said.
“It’s not just about the residents, we do need to look after the bats – they are an endangered species.
“There is a need for us to look after them, .If we were able to move them a safer area where they aren’t as exposed to the heat, it would be a good outcome.”
The policy is expected to ready in February.
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