Fighting Bats with Bagpipes

By Queuebot in Animals & Pets, Food & Drink on Jan 25, 2009 at 4:23 pm

Bob Johnson has tried everything to keep fruit bats away from his orchard. The Queensland, Australia fruit grower is so frustrated by bats eating his crop that he has even resorted to playing his bagpipe among the trees in an effort to scare the bats. Nevertheless, he has managed to harvest only 3,975 lbs. of fruit this year, compared to 36,327 lbs in an average year. He wants to be allowed to shoot the bats, but the government says he should cover his trees with netting instead.

The Johnsons are angry, arguing that the State Government is bending over backwards to appease environmentalists whose supporters last year successfully lobbied to stop orchardists from shooting bats.

And the couple has been backed by Independent federal MHR Bob Katter, who said the state should let orchardists apply his crocodile control system and “shoot them”.

“Even the most brainless greenie would have to say it is not unreasonable to cull flying foxes that carry diseases that can kill humans,” Mr Katter said.

Link – via coldmud

Photo: David Martinelli

Tags: Australia, bagpipes, fruit bats, orchards

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Bruce V. Bracken
Jan 25th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Too bad the greenies are fascist bastards who don’t give a damn about human life.
Terry
Jan 25th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
I live near fruit orchards in Australia. Every year native birds will eat the fruit, so the growers cover the trees with bird net. The net is tax deductible. This bloke should shut his face, stop whinging and buy the nets.
Edward
Jan 25th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Buy an air rifle and follow the 3S rule: Shoot, Shovel and Shut-up.
Capella
Jan 25th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
I wonder if other environmentalists are the only people who don’t hate environmentalists?
Cola
Jan 25th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Wow, Bruce, way to generalise! That’s about as helpful as saying conservatives are all fascist bastards that don’t give a damn about human life, which could be argued because of their support of politicians who consider themselves above the law and their lack of support for health care for anyone who can’t afford it. But I’m guessing that you would argue the issue is more complicated than that, and you would be right. But then, so would I.

Anyway, it’s not helpful to shoot the bats. It doesn’t teach them to stay away and depressing the population makes them susceptible to extinction. Does Bob Johnson want the bats to go away entirely? I believe he deserves a solution, because his business matters, but it should not come at the expense of bats. I mean, come on, they’re bats. They don’t know any better.
Larfin Jackarse
Jan 26th, 2009 at 4:51 am
Please remember that Queensland is the ‘Deep North’. The closer white people get to the equator the more bat shyte crazy they get.

Please! Quoting Bob Katter? Can you spell ‘fascist fruitloop’?

And yes, yet another bloody Australian lifeform that can kill you. LOL.
Polx
Jan 26th, 2009 at 5:17 am
Old FNQ joke. (Far North Queensland)

Uncle Joh Bjelke Petersen was so sick of the pooftahs and liberals and greenies and dagos coming to Queensland he decided to build a 20 foot wall around the whole state.

All the other States in Australia volunteered to help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joh_Bjelke-Petersen

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