Council explains why there's so much bat activity in Bathurst

The flying foxes, also known as bats, have blanketed the sky over the Bathurst central business district, prompting many people to stop in their tracks and begin filming the unexpected scene.

But what is prompting them to be so active during the day?

According to Bathurst Regional Council, it's the sheer numbers of them creating competition for a spot to roost.

"Machattie Park has seen the arrival of a significant number of flying foxes this season, resulting in competition of roosting spots," manger of recreation Mark Kimbel said.

"It is believed this to be the main reason why there are more numbers of bats flying around in the daytime than has been experienced in previous years."

Council isn't certain just how many flying foxes are in Machattie Park at the moment, but the most recent estimate was 5000.

Mr Kimbel said NSW National Parks is considering bringing in an expert to undertake a more thorough count of the Machattie Park colony.

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The number of flying foxes is having an impact on Machattie Park, to the point where additional cleaning measures won't be enough to keep on top of the problem.

"Due to numbers this year, council has had to remove some of the picnic tables from directly under trees as cleaning frequency increases are not able to resolve the constant mess on the tables," Mr Kimbel said.

"Council has also identified some minor branch damage that has occurred throughout the park and for public safety reasons has engaged an arborist to undertake the removal of branches that have broken off the tree but remain suspended in the canopy."

In the past, council has considered methods to deter the animals from Machattie Park, but more recently has asked the community to be tolerant of the vulnerable species while they are there in the warmer months.

There are concerns for the welfare of the flying fox camp in 2023, with a series of cold snaps and lack of native food sources putting them at risk of starvation and cold stress events.

In particular, the newborn pups struggle to control their body temperatures and are reliant on their mums for warmth.

"As a result, we are seeing the loss of many newborns or pups up to four weeks old," Mr Kimbel said.

"But the struggle is also for their mums, and extended camp family, who during cold or heat stress events are unable to keep warm or keep cool themselves."

Anyone who comes across a dead flying fox in Machattie Park should contact council on 6333 6111 during regular business hours, or 6334 2795 after hours, so staff can attend to safely dispose of the animal.

Injured flying foxes should be reported to WIRES.

Mr Kimbel encouraged people to avoid areas of Machattie Park that have a high concentration of flying foxes, as this could increase the chances of having droppings fall on them.

If you come into contact with urine or faeces, wash the affected area immediately.

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