Vic: Animal activists to begin vigil for bats

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2001
Vic: Animal activists to begin vigil for bats

Animal activists are vowing to wrestle to the ground anyone attempting to shoot grey-headed
flying foxes in Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens.

Activists from the Humane Society for Animal Welfare will hold a protest outside the
garden's main gates at midday, before setting up tents near the Observatory cafe.

Society president LAWRENCE POPE says the plan by the gardens' management to cull the
bats represents an ecological crisis being responded to in a 1950s way.

He says members of his group will occupy the tents 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
in an attempt to ensure the animals' safety.

Mr POPE says members will wrestle the guns off the people doing the shooting.

Mr POPE says the group had attempted to raise concerns with garden's director Dr PHIL
MOORS and Environment Minister SHERYL GARBUTT but all pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

Last week, Dr MOORS confirmed the culling of an unspecified number of the 20,000-strong
bat population.

AAP RTV hmg/clr/mjm/alt

KEYWORD: BATS (MELBOURNE)

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