The bats are back: Big numbers, but no cause for alarm | Western Advocate

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FLYING foxes are in Machattie Park in similar numbers to the 2017-18 summer, but this time it’s not cause for alarm. The 2017-18 summer saw an influx of flying foxes, also referred to as bats, move into the trees in the park. They damaged the trees and left the park a mess, forcing Bathurst Regional Council to develop a Flying Fox Camp Management Plan. While bats have been spotted in the park since, the numbers this year are much higher. However, council’s Recreation manager Mark Kimbel said they shouldn’t increase any further. “In 2017-18 the estimated population of the flying fox colony in Machattie Park at its peak was 2000,” he said. “The estimated numbers this year currently stand at 1700 and it is unlikely…