Josephine Teo addresses bats in flats problem among Upper Boon Keng Road residents

Singapore – “Bats in Flats!” was the heading of Manpower Minister Josephine Teo’s recent social media post, highlighting the concern of Upper Boon Keng Road residents who wish to “usher” the “guests” out of their homes.

Ms Teo took to Facebook on Thursday (Sept 10) to share a “unique problem” residents at Block 14 Upper Boon Keng Road were experiencing – bats living in nearby fruit trees that would end up in their homes.

“Our residents were concerned about the possibility of bats being disease carriers and not knowing the proper way to ‘usher’ these ‘guests’ out of their homes,” said Ms Teo. She noted that they quickly contacted NParks, the Government statutory board responsible for enhancing and managing urban ecosystems. The agency arranged for an officer and a bat research specialist to visit the affected residents for further investigation.

“They assured our residents that these bats do not possess virulent strains of coronavirus and shared about the important ecological roles of bats as pollinators and in controlling insect populations,” said Ms Teo.

The residents were given practical strategies to deter bats from flying into the residents’ units, such as hanging shiny objects at the entrance points, CDs are commonly used), and installing a magnetic fly mesh or insect netting at the windows, Ms Teo added.

Other measures include installing lights at areas where bats frequently visit because they prefer dark and damp places. One could also apply lubricants or glossy paper on areas where they perch or roost. It is recommended to keep outdoor balcony or patio lights turned on.

“Our Town Council also helped to prune the fruit trees growing nearby to encourage the bats to create their homes away from residential units.”

Ms Teo included an advisory on bats with her post. It contained information on the importance of the creatures on ecological systems and debunked common myths such as bats being aggressive or carry rabies.

Those who experience bats in their property are advised not to be alarmed as bats are shy creatures. It is suggested to leave them alone as they will fly away after they have finished feeding, noted the advisory.

Those who experience similar issues could visit the link here for more info.

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