Thousands of bats drop dead in Australia
Thousands of bats have dropped dead in Australia.
''Some areas along the riverbank are inaccessible and the stench from the rotting carcasses will be quite unbearable for some time yet.''
Residents in the sleepy neighbourhood of Casino, New South Wales, were left shocked when the nocturnal creatures began dropping dead and falling from trees.
The deaths are said to have been caused by a 44 degree heat wave sweeping over the town and over 5,000 carcasses created an ''unbearable'' stench, sparking a public health warning.
Council manager John Walker told the Australia Telegraph newspaper: ''People should avoid the area and not try to help living bats themselves as they could bite and scratch and some carry the lyssavirus.
''Some areas along the riverbank are inaccessible and the stench from the rotting carcasses will be quite unbearable for some time yet.''