Australian town declares state of emergency after 100,000 bats swarm Batemans Bay

Officials of the town of Batesman Bay in New South Wales declared on Wednesday a state of emergency after it experienced a bat invasion. An estimated 100,000 bats descended and swarmed the town.

As a result, residents could not open their windows or go outside their homes. Even studying becomes difficult because of the noise outside, complains Danielle Smith, reports Sky News.

However, a dilemma faces residents because the bats are actually flying foxes, a vulnerable species in Australia. That means residents could not kill the flying creatures and the only way they can remove the bats is to use non-lethal methods.

Glenys Oogjes, from Animals Australia, advises Batemans Bay residents to just wait for the bats to move on. She says the bats would leave on their own accord. Among the non-lethal method that residents have suggested to make the bats leave is to use smoke, lights, noise and to clear the vegetation.

“The current method that seems to be the one that’s working the most … is extremely loud industrial noise combined with smoke and combined with bright lights in an effort to make the area where the flying foxes roost to be uncomfortable as possible,” explains Lindsay Brown, mayor of the Eurobodalla Shire Council.

NSW Environment Minister Mark Speakman says because of the bats invasion, many residents feel isolated, powerless and have become prisoners of their homes. Besides the noise, residents also complain of the smell because of the bat poop that keeps on dropping over their homes and yards.

NSW has committed $1.8 million to help the local council disperse the bat invaders. But it remains unclear how would the council do it.