Bat watch project plea

THE Bats and Trees Society of Cairns (BatSoc) Inc’s Save our Spectacled Flyingfox Watch project needs help.

This is a citizen science project funded by the State Government to engage the FNQ community in conservation of the endangered spectacled flying fox.

This species is a vital pollinator and seed disperser of both our World Heritage Wet Tropics and surrounding eucalypt forests in FNQ.

The flying-fox watch program is similar to Birdlife Australia’s Birds in Backyards project. We are asking people to record where they see flying foxes feeding, flying or roosting during the day.

This information will help us manage and conserve the species by giving us a better understanding of their movements and behaviour and help us identify important maternity roosts in low-conflict areas to restore the habitat to reduce the impacts of future heatwaves.

In November 2018, nearly one-third of the total national population died in one heatwave in six camps in Cairns. We cannot afford to lose this number again.

This long-term project is also important because:

■ It can fill in gaps in our knowledge about winter camps. Conservation of winter foraging habitat is important to save the species.

■ Baby bat season is coming and the information can help us find orphaned bats and new maternity camps where we can patrol for pups whose mothers do not return.

■ It can help us find “black spots” where there are high mortalities.

■ It can give information on new camps to help avoid future conflict between people and bats; among other things.

Access the field survey at: https:// www.surveymonkey.com/r/2C7BMN8 Maree Treadwell Kerr, president, Bats and Trees Society of Cairns Inc (BatSoc)