October 31, 2019
Flying-foxes turn up in strange places in Coffs Harbour due to acute food shortage.
Flying-foxes turn up in strange places in Coffs Harbour due to acute food shortage.
As flying-foxes become more and more hungry, they move into urban areas or start feeding on introduced foods such as orchard fruit. Local banana growers are bagging their fruit earlier to protect the bananas from being scratched by the animals. The flying-foxes aren't being attracted by the bananas themselves, but by the nectar in the banana flowers.
According to Dr Peggy Eby, once the flowering starts again, her prediction is that flying-foxes will leave the banana plantations because they have a clear preference for nectar and pollen from Australian native trees. Read more here:
Scientists warn of 'extinction crisis' in an open letter to Prime Minister Morrison:
28 October 2019
“Current laws are failing because they are too weak, have inadequate review and approval processes, and are not overseen by an effective compliance regime,” the scientists wrote.
“Our extinction crisis is primarily a result of habitat destruction, invasive species, altered fire regimes, disease and climate change damage.
The body of scientists said the review must be harnessed to ‘fix’ current laws and better protect and restore the environment. The scientists have timed their letter to coincide with a Federal review of Australia's key environmental protection laws.
“Increased investment in nature conservation must be backed by strong national environmental laws that protect our natural world from further destruction,” the scientists wrote, 'Because destruction of habitat is now threatening even once common native animals like koalas'.
“These laws must safeguard our intact ecosystems and protect the critical areas people and wildlife need to survive and tackle our most pressing threats.”
The review comes as the Morrison government has expanded areas for Indigenous environmental protection by 27 per cent to 100 million hectares.
The move would establish Indigenous protected zones in the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia.
