FLYING foxes weakened by hunger, injured in backyard netting or otherwise unable to raise their young are keeping Port Stephens wildlife volunteers busy.
For Simone Aurino, koala and bat coordinator with Wildlife In Need of Care (WINC), the calls keep coming.
The organisation is receiving multiple calls a day, while volunteers also check community social media pages for reports of animals needing help.
Aurino said the current starvation event was affecting both adult flying foxes and newborn pups.
Some females were giving birth prematurely because they were too weak to carry their pregnancies to term. Others were unable to feed and raise their babies.
“The mums are just too far gone to be able to support and raise these babies,” she told News Of The Area.
“We’re losing our adults as well.”
Hungry flying foxes are also turning up in places where residents would not usually see them as they search for food.
That search can bring them into contact with fruit-tree netting and barbed wire.
Ms Aurino said trapped animals could suffer serious damage to their wings, bones and joints. Some injuries leave carers with no option but euthanasia.
The distress of finding those animals adds to an already demanding workload.
Aurino has cared for wildlife for about 17 years. Her interest in flying foxes developed through caring for koalas and observing how the animals were connected through their habitat and pollination.
“Once you get to see, understand and know them, they’re fascinating animals,” she said.
But caring for them takes time, money and trained volunteers.
WINC had few vaccinated bat carers, with volunteers juggling rescues and care with jobs and families.
“We’ve got carers at burnout already,” Aurino said.
“And the summer breeding season for many species is only just starting.”
People can help without handling wildlife. Answering calls from home, helping with grant applications and doing computer work would ease the pressure.
Residents who find a flying fox on the ground or in difficulty should keep pets away and call WINC. Do not touch or attempt to handle it.
For wildlife assistance, call 1300 946 295. To volunteer and for more information, visit www.wildlifeinneedofcare.org.au.
By Althea GUINSBERG
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