NSW: Conditions to be placed on flying fox shooting licences

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-1998
NSW: Conditions to be placed on flying fox shooting licences

SYDNEY, Dec 10 AAP - Fruit farmers would be denied licences for shooting flying foxes
unless they first tried other ways of deterring the crop-eaters, the New South Wales
government said today.

NSW Environment Minister Pam Allan said she would not reinforce a moratorium, lifted last
month, on shooting licences.

However, farmers would have to try methods such as the netting or sound systems to deter
bats before they were given another licence.

"We have said to farmers, yes you can come and get your licences now but if you keep
coming back you have to demonstrate to us that you have been trialling some of these new
devices, that you have trialled them and they havent worked, for example," Mrs Allan told
reporters.

A flying fox shooting licence allows a farmer to kill 50 grey and red flying foxes, which
are protected in NSW. The small black flying fox is endangered and cannot be shot.

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KEYWORD: BATS

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