Watch your fruit netting and save flying foxes

WILDLIFE authorities have put the spotlight on the extent of grey-headed flying fox injuries and deaths from illegal netting entanglements, as organisations unite to educate community gardeners about better fruit tree netting ahead of the spring growing season.

In the first six months of 2024, Wildlife Victoria recorded more than 110 cases involving flying foxes caught in illegal household netting, exceeding the total reported in all of 2023.

Licensed wildlife carers also rescued and rehabilitated more than 400 flying fox pups between July 2023 and June 2024.

These incidents were reported to the Conservation Regulator, and wildlife experts suspect many pups ended up in care after being separated from their mothers, many of whom were likely to have been entangled in household fruit tree netting.

The Conservation Regulator, Zoos Victoria, RSPCA Victoria, Wildlife Victoria, and Animal Welfare Victoria have partnered to address the dangers illegal household netting poses to wildlife, especially native bat species, and remind household growers to use safe, compliant fruit tree netting.

Since September 1, 2021, it has been illegal in Victoria to use or sell household fruit tree netting with a mesh size bigger than 5mm x 5mm, as larger mesh netting is more likely to entangle, distress, and seriously injure or kill animals.

To help check if netting is compliant, try poking a finger through the mesh – if a finger can pass through, it is too big.

Experts also encourage:

• Using white-coloured netting with a cross-weave design to help nocturnal animals see and avoid it at night
• Tightly securing netting to a frame or tree trunk to prevent trapping terrestrial species, and
• Protecting selected branches with fruit bags or sleeves, rather than netting the whole tree.

Grey-headed flying-foxes play an important part in our ecosystem as their diet of fruit and nectar from more than 100 species of native flowering and fruiting plants helps pollinate trees and disperse seeds.

“We’re urging all household fruit growers to ensure they understand the law and have compliant fruit netting that protects both native wildlife and your household fruit trees,” Chief Conservation Regulator Kate Gavens said.

“A small change to your netting can make a big difference to the welfare of animals like grey-headed flying-foxes.”

If community members find a flying-fox trapped in fruit tree netting, call an experienced, vaccinated wildlife rescuer to assist. Do not attempt to touch or handle it yourself.

To find a rescuer, phone 13 61 86 or use the Help for Injured Wildlife Tool by heading to wildlife.vic.gov.au/hfiw

For more information on how to protect both household fruit trees and wildlife, head to wildlife.vic.gov.au/managing-wildlife/wildlife-and-fruit-trees