Following months of flying fox activity across Eurobodalla, the shire's grey-headed flying foxes have left the six known roosting sites, with no camps currently occupied.
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Cool winter temperatures and a reduction in food sources see flying foxes head north as part of their natural migration pattern, searching out the plentiful food sources found in warmer climates.
Their absence follows fluctuating numbers across the shire's six flying fox camps over summer and autumn.
Grey-headed flying foxes feed on the nectar and pollen of native trees and a single flying-fox can spread up to 60,000 seeds each night, travelling up to 50 kilometres as they forage.
This makes flying foxes one of the most important pollinators and seed dispersers in the Australian bush, and critical to the health and sustainability of ecosystems of which they are a part.
The animals return to roost in their camps during the day and seek food at night.
The grey-headed flying-fox is listed as a threatened species because their overall numbers in Australia have rapidly declined over a relatively short period of time.
Habitat loss due to land clearing is the most significant threat. Clearing native vegetation removes feeding sites and suitable roosting for the species.
A lack of feeding resources can result in large influxes of flying foxes to localised areas, particularly when favoured eucalypt species are in flower.
Flying foxes are particular about roosting sites and typically use the same camps for generations.
There is an increasing trend in Australia for urban camps - with 72 per cent of flying fox camps are in urban areas - and flying foxes seem to be travelling further south and to inland areas across Australia.
Understanding these changes is important in assisting with how flying foxes are managed into the future.
Eurobodalla Shire Council adopted the Eurobodalla Flying Fox Management Plan in November 2018.
It provides a framework to conserve the bats and the ecosystem services they provide while helping to reduce the impacts of flying fox camps on residents.
Council may carry out approved dispersal activities in extreme circumstances where the impacts on residents are very high on Council-managed lands.
To view the plan or to learn more about grey-headed flying-foxes in Eurobodalla, visit www.esc.nsw.gov.au/flyingfoxes or contact Council's natural resource officer Natalie Foster on 4474 7329.
You'll find the latest news about flying foxes in Eurobodalla, what Council does to help residents, camp sizes, population and location, and access fact sheets on the website.
