The death trap: what to do about the everyday things that trap and kill Australia’s wildlife | Wild animals

Thousands of native animals are snared in fruit trees, fences and fishing gear every year in Australia – incidents that often result in injury or death.

The capture of wild animals is increasing, with at least 3,500 cases a year in New South Wales, and more than 2,000 last year in Victoria.

“These problems are much bigger than people think,” said Jasmine Vink, a bat ecologist and rehabilitator.

Flying foxes make up two-thirds of all cases involved in NSW, a study by Pacific Conservation Biology found, particularly grey-headed foxes, which are listed as vulnerable under national wildlife laws. They get caught badly in nets in backyards, Vink said, and caught in barbed wire in county properties.

“Very few of those bats are able to be treated,” he said. “They die from exposure, heat, dehydration, blood loss, being eaten. You have raptors coming down and eating the fences.”

But it’s not just flying foxes – clinging affects hundreds of different species, especially mammals and birds, including kangaroos, platypus, raptors and gliders.

Lisa Palma, chief executive of Wildlife Victoria, says these are some of the most preventable wildlife emergencies. “They are the result of everyday human actions – not intentional harm – but they can cause devastating injuries and unnecessary suffering to wildlife,” Palma said.

“That’s the good news [through] Simple actions such as proper littering, using wildlife-friendly nets and fencing, can reduce the number of native animals that are injured or killed by poaching.”

Choose wildlife-friendly fruit tree nets

Backyard netting is a popular way to protect your home’s fruits and vegetables from native animals or insects, and even protect against damage from the sun, wind and hail.

But hungry animals, especially flying foxes, birds and possums, are attracted to flowers and fruits, and are easily caught in “big hole” nets, where the mesh size is more than 5mm.

Vink says: “The rule of thumb is if you can get your finger on it, it’s not safe for wildlife.

The installation of flying foxes is “really bad,” she said. “The blockage is very painful for them, those parts of their wings start to die a little bit.” Some of the worst incidents involving mothers and puppies, he says, are when “the puppy is caught and passes away, just rotting next to its mother as she struggles”.

Other safe options have small gaps, and a cross-weave design. Wildlife Victoria also encourages the use of fruit tree protection bags, which protect some branches, while leaving others free for wildlife.

White or light-colored materials are also recommended by many government environmental departments, as these are easier for birds and mammals to see and avoid at night. The nets should be taut, so that they cannot sink and wrap around the animals, and be checked regularly.

Some state and territory governments and bat rescue organizations run free “net swaps,” where people can bring in their kill nets and exchange them for wildlife-friendly alternatives. In one program in Victoria last year more than 600 fishing nets were donated, and another 359 were given away for free.

In Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, it is illegal to use or sell fruit nets with large holes. Victoria’s conservation regulator is encouraging members of the public to report illegal nets, and has investigated 37 reports in the past year.

Safely dispose of fishing tackle … and hair ties

Aquatic litter accounts for about 10% of arrests, according to NSW Wildlife Rescue data.

For the platypus, it is very dangerous, especially in urban waterways. The animals often become entangled in fishing gear and human waste, which accounts for 8% of platypus mortality in Victoria.

“Because of those big webbed feet, they can’t get waste out of them when it’s around them,” said Dr Geoff Williams at the Australian Platypus Conservancy. “Fishing debris is probably the most severe form of platypus, and it causes horrible injuries – it actually just cuts through the skin.”

Garbage, especially anything with a ring or loop, is a big problem. “Platypus are amazing in their ability to get their heads and shoulders through small loops.“

Hair ties, the kind used for ponytails, are a growing problem, he says. “Especially in places where people go swimming in the summer, what happens is that they shake their hair and throw something into the stream and it ends up on the skin of a platypus.”

“Elastic hair ties are a really important problem because no matter where they fall, they tend to be swept away by the rain, down the drains, [and] they end up in the river.”

He says many people are responsible. But it’s important to retrieve the fishing line and dispose of it properly – don’t just cut it and leave it in the water. For trash, especially anything with loops, his recommendation is to “grab it and tie it up”.

Perhaps surprisingly, even flying foxes are caught in fishing lures. “They ski on their stomachs in the water,” said Vink. They just fly and get caught by this fishing gear. So, you get a lot from their mouth.

Western Australia’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Tourism runs the Reel It In program which has installed 192 yellow bins at popular fishing grounds for anglers to safely dispose of and deal with unwanted fishing line, and has so far collected more than 250km of line.

Most states, apart from Queensland, have now banned the sale of caged yabby nets, also known as opera house traps, which were deadly to wildlife including turtles, platypus and rakali (water rats).

Fixing the sharp edges

Outside of cities, barbed wire is a serious threat.

More than 800 kangaroos were rescued from fences by Wildlife Victoria last year. “As terrestrial animals, they are often confined by fences and need to jump over fences to move around and through areas. Unfortunately, if a kangaroo is frightened or moving too fast, its hind legs can break through the upper ropes, causing their legs to become trapped,” said the rescue organization.

“There’s just a lot of barbed wire, thousands and thousands of kilometers,” said Vink. “For example, here in north Queensland, we had about 250 little red flying foxes in one week, in one area.”

He says flying foxes cannot see fences, especially in windy or foggy areas.

Most are caught by a strip on the top, so many solutions involve replacing that strip with plain wire, or adding shiny or brightly colored tape or reflective discs to make the wire more visible.

What should you do if you find captive wild animals?

If you encounter trapped or trapped wildlife, avoid approaching or touching the animal as this may cause stress.

Contact your local wildlife rescue, or use the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s wildlife rescue app to find a licensed caretaker nearby.

Flying foxes should only be handled by people who are properly vaccinated and properly trained, and use appropriate protective equipment.

With the arrival of H5 bird flu in Australia, members of the public are urged to avoid contact with any dead or sick birds or animals showing symptoms of the virus. Report your sightings to the animal emergency hotline on 1800 675 888 or birdflu.gov.au.