--- title: Battle of the Endangered Species: Bats v. Trees | TIME description: In Australia, endangered bats called flying foxes are killing endangered trees in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens canonical: https://time.com/video/787mZ6G5/ og:title: Battle of the Endangered Species: Bats v. Trees og:description: In Australia, endangered bats called flying foxes are killing endangered trees in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens og:url: https://time.com/video/787mZ6G5/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/787mZ6G5/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Battle of the Endangered Species: Bats v. Trees twitter:description: In Australia, endangered bats called flying foxes are killing endangered trees in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/787mZ6G5/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Battle of the Endangered Species: Bats v. Trees > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Battle of the Endangered Species: Bats v. Trees [Watch (HLS stream): Battle of the Endangered Species: Bats v. Trees](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/787mZ6G5.m3u8) (3:15)  _Published 2009-09-08. In Australia, endangered bats called flying foxes are killing endangered trees in Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens_ --- Jul 27, 2023 1:13 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [The Giant Panda Is No Longer Endangered ](/video/o6FqT1lP/) ### The Giant Panda Is No Longer Endangered [Know Right Now: Lions Protected As Endangered Species](/video/02bZizWG/) ### Know Right Now: Lions Protected As Endangered Species [How Rwanda Benefits from Endangered Gorillas](/video/8fKLSwKz/) ### How Rwanda Benefits from Endangered Gorillas --- ## Transcript >> I was in Sydney taking a stroll through the Royal Botanical Gardens the other day, when I noticed that the trees were full of bats, huge bats. And it was broad daylight. >> There's something about them that's a little off- putting. >> They were a little creepy. >> And a little bit ugly. >> They're fruit bats, the largest flying mammal, with a wingspan that can reach 7 feet. But the flying foxes are causing a big problem. I decided to ask the director of the Gardens what was going on. This is [ unk ]. >> So I've given that this tree up here, this is one where they've already started to strip the leaves off; lots of flying foxes there. You could just see the leaves down the base, but you can also see they've knocked off the leaves at the top. A couple of years and that mat tree will die. >> In the summer, there can be 22, 000 bats resting here. And these trees are rare and have scientific and historical value. >> But the bats are an officially recognized endangered species. They can't just call an exterminator. >> Well, the-- >> Are you sure that they're endangered? They seem like so many of them. >> And a big draw for tourists and locals. >> Sydney's hidden treasure. >> Secured? >> I wouldn't have secured and intriguing. >> The Gardens have tried to move the bats before. >> We've tied bags of python poo in the trees to-- so they'll think there are snakes around. We sprayed them with water. >> Flags on poles to banging metal plates. >> Strainers, people yelling and waving and sort of beating rubbish bin lids. We even tried smoke. >> Now the Gardens are bringing in the big guns. Not literally guns, but this thing. >> It's a little-- it's a 4- wheel drive motorbike fitted out with a sound system. >> Going after the bats when they're at their most vulnerable; exhausted after a night's foraging. The sound buggy will pump loud noises into the trees to give them what the team is calling " a bad hotel experience ". >> Probably the closest thing is that like industrial music, if you like. That's the kind of sound we'll have. A little bit irritating if you don't like industrial music. >> Well, you don't tell me to shut up. >> We're sorry. The number you have dialed is not in service at this time. >> Grumpy and irritable, the bats, hopefully, will start looking for alternate accommodations. The Botanic Gardens just need government approval to crank up the sound buggy. But bat advocacy groups are not happy. >> The work that the Botanic Gardens Trust has done over many years has all been focused on removing the bats. And so far it's been completely unsuccessful. At some point, they have to understand that it is possible that they're gonna have to manage the colony here in situ. >> If the battle hotel plan is approved, the bats should be moving out in May. And if that doesn't work, there's always garlic. This is David Clair for TIME. com. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Battle of the Endangered Species: Bats v. 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