Bats in our backyards

Many people don’t want bats living in their backyards because they are noisy and smelly, and they can spread deadly diseases like Hendra virus and Lyssavirus. As Australia’s population grows and people need more places to live, development is affecting our wildlife. The trees where animals such as koalas and bats live are being chopped down to build houses and roads, which means they come to our backyards looking for food. Fruit-eating bats love grevillea, fig and mango trees because they’re full of sweet nectar. No wonder they are moving into our suburbs!

Some people try to move the bats away with noise and other methods, which only causes more stress. Stress in bats lowers their resistance and potentially increases the risk of Hendra virus and Lyssavirus spreading.

Research has also shown that moving bat colonies rarely has much success. If the animals do move, they typically only move a very short distance: less than 500 metres from the original location. So, shifting bats out of one person’s backyard, just shifts them into somebody else’s.