Australian town plagued by more than 100,000 flying fox bats

Residents of Batemans Bay, in New South Wales, Australia, are in shock after being plagued by as many as 100,000 bats.

According to the Eurobodalla Shire Council which oversees the area, the town could currently be home to as much as '20 per cent of the entire national grey-headed flying fox population.'

See also: Bat study reveals they obey 'airway code'

See also: Bats reject £350k bridges installed to help them cross A11

The regional government has pledged nearly $1.8 million dollars to fight the problem.

One of the major consequences, according to the Environment Minister, is that residents "feel they're prisoners in their own homes...".

The bat is categorised as a vulnerable species, so killing them is not an option. But officials acknowledge that dispersing them is difficult and costly, and the creatures would likely just set up camp nearby.

That said, a plan has been drafted which, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation,"'proposes spraying trees with deterrents, and using giant inflatable tube men akin to those used in advertising, to scare the animals away."

Other potential methods to deter them include loud noises, smoke, and lights. The flying foxes are believed to have settled in Batemans Bay because of currently flowering food sources.

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