Yesterday saw the Queensland and NSW governments pledge a further $6 million for Hendra virus research over three years, due to a spike in cases in the two states and following the discovery of the virus in a dog this week.

Hendra virus is a rare zoonotic disease that can be passed from an infected horse to a human. Without prompt medical treatment, the effects of Hendra virus can be fatal. Scientists believe that the flying fox (bat) is the ‘reservoir’ of the Hendra virus which appears to carry the virus without suffering any ill effects. Exactly how it is transmitted from bats to horses and now dogs, remains unknown.

No animal or human cases of Hendra virus have been recorded in Victoria.

According to Bev Brown, Wildlife Victoria’s species advisor on Mega Bats, says that “flying foxes are tremendously important animals for Australia. Not only is the grey headed flying fox arguably our most intelligent native species, classified by some scientists like primates, it is also the most ecologically important. These animals keep native forests alive, spreading 60,000 native seeds per night up and down the coast. Sadly, numbers are diminishing rapidly, with less than one per cent of the population that existed a century ago. They are a threatened species and a keystone species, one on which many ecosystems depend on. Many people are scared of them unnecessarily. In this, the “Year of the Bat”, the community should be a lot more scared about what the bush will become without flying foxes”.

However, some Victorian bats do carry Lyssavirus; a serious disease that left untreated can also be fatal. Fortunately, lyssavirus responds to the rabies vaccine. We urge the public not to approach any wildlife directly and to call our emergency line and we will respond with a suitably qualified, experienced and inoculated rescuer.

Bev added “recent news reports about the lyssavirus threat from grey headed flying foxes at the colony in Kew have generally missed some critical points”.  Bev explains that a flying fox bite is treatable with a needle in the same way a rusty nail injury isn’t fatal from tetanus. She warns that people should not approach any distressed wild animal but should call in the help of specially trained, lyssavirus vaccinated rescuers.

Wildlife Victoria’s Emergency Phone Service is 13 000 94535.