October 9, 2025

Minute With The Mayor Ramon Jayo 25 September

SCIENCE, STRATEGY AND SHEER HARD WORK

When people look back at the flying fox story in Ingham, they often remember the heatwaves. The flying foxes dropping from the trees, the overwhelming smell, and the struggles families faced living, schooling, and working with colonies that grew to hundreds of thousands.

But what�E��E�E���E��Es sometimes overlooked is the extraordinary science, strategy, and teamwork that turned things around. Back in 2019, our community was in crisis. Half a million flying foxes spilled out of the Botanical Gardens and into our parks and schoolyards. The usual tricks �E��E�E���E��E pots, pans, and pool noodles �E��E�E���E��E didn�E��E�E���E��Et make much of a difference, just sending the animals from one backyard to the next.

It was noisy, smoky, and relentless work �E��E�E���E��E more like mustering cattle than managing wildlife �E��E�E���E��E but it worked. And none of this would have been possible without the unsung heroes of the whole effort: our dedicated staff.

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