Newcastle Council has formally recognised Hunter Wildlife Rescue following an extraordinary summer of flying-fox rescues across the region.

The recognition celebrates the organisation’s volunteers, who responded to three major heat-stress events affecting flying-fox camps throughout the Hunter Valley. It also highlights the important role Newcastle plays in the animals’ rescue, rehabilitation and eventual return to the wild.

Speaking with ABC Newcastle, Hunter Wildlife Rescue vice-president Kerry Walker described a demanding season in which teams monitored 11 flying-fox camps spread across the region, from Newcastle and Lake Macquarie to Cessnock, Denman, Singleton and Muswellbrook.

“Fifteen years ago, we weren’t seeing these events so frequently,” Kerry said.

Responding when every minute matters

Extended periods of high temperatures can place enormous pressure on flying-fox populations. As the animals become heat affected, they begin flapping their wings, move towards the centre of trees and descend in search of cooler conditions. Young flying foxes are particularly vulnerable and can fall from their mothers or from the trees.

For rescue teams, the response requires experience and care. Moving in too soon can disturb an entire camp and send hundreds or thousands of already stressed animals into the air. Waiting too long can also have devastating consequences.

“We have to move quickly because they can die within 20 or 30 minutes,” Kerry said.

During a heat event, trained volunteers may establish a response site for three or four days. Teams monitor the animals around the clock, use water sprayers to cool those within reach, collect fallen flying foxes and transport them into care.

The first 24 to 48 hours are critical. Rescued animals are rehydrated before being distributed among carers across the region. Many are orphaned young that need specialised milk, fruit, constant care and time to develop the strength and skills required to fly.

Rehabilitation can continue for around four months.

Blackbutt provides a pathway home

Newcastle Council’s involvement is especially important during the final stage of rehabilitation. Blackbutt serves as a release site, allowing rescued flying foxes to spend their last three or four weeks of care close to an established camp.

When the release enclosure is opened, the young animals can join the local population. Their strongly social nature helps them adjust, with adult flying foxes supporting the newcomers.

“Flying foxes are extremely social animals, so they assimilate very well and the adults look after them,” Kerry said.

This work does more than protect individual animals. Flying foxes travel between camps and follow flowering trees across the landscape, dispersing pollen over long distances and helping native forests regenerate.

As Kerry explained, “They pollinate all our gum trees. If we didn’t have flying foxes, we wouldn’t have gum trees.”

By recognising Hunter Wildlife Rescue, Newcastle Council is acknowledging both the dedication of its volunteers and the wider environmental value of protecting this often-misunderstood species.

How the community can help

Although the peak summer rescue period has passed, Hunter Wildlife Rescue is already preparing for warmer weather. Flying foxes remain in care, and the organisation continues to respond to animals injured after becoming entangled in barbed wire, sporting nets and fruit-tree netting.

Community members can help by:

– avoiding barbed wire wherever possible;
– choosing tightly woven, animal-safe netting;
– checking that netting is secured correctly;
– volunteering in support roles during summer; and
– donating towards the substantial cost of fruit and other rescue supplies.

A simple guide for household netting is that if you can put your fingers through the holes, the mesh may be large enough to trap a bird or flying fox.

People do not need to handle animals to make a valuable contribution. Volunteers can support trained rescue teams by delivering food and water, moving equipment and assisting with transport. Anyone who handles flying foxes must have the appropriate vaccination and training; members of the public should never attempt to handle one themselves.

Newcastle Council’s recognition is a fitting tribute to a remarkable community effort—but the work continues. With extreme heat events becoming more frequent, the volunteers protecting the Hunter’s flying foxes will need community support more than ever.