A towering but "unstable" Linden tree was on Monday removed following a routine inspection of all the tree species at Cook Park.
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Orange City Council communications officer Allan Reeder said a decision was made to remove the tree due to its age and to avoid the risk of falling branches.
Council said the tree was more than 50 years old.
"The council tree crew fenced an area to remove the Linden tree and once felled the main trunk was found to have a large cavity," he said.
"The tree was found to have some unstable sections."
Council is preparing to produce an updated masterplan to guide the replacement of trees at the park.
"The Linden tree will be replaced in due course," Mr Reeder added.
Mr Reeder also said the current population of the grey-headed flying foxes at Cook Park has dropped to less than 50.
"The flying foxes leave once the temperature starts to drop," he said.
"For about the last 10 years, Orange has been visited during the summer by the flying foxes and they routinely stay for a number of months in different neighbourhoods.
"Some years they stay in Cook Park and in other years they've stayed in Ploughman's Lane, Bathurst Road and Kite Street."
Mr Reeder said council has placed signs in the park to help educate the community about what's interesting about the creatures.
"As protected species, their food is largely eucalyptus nectar and they raise young as part of a colony sharing 'child-care' responsibilities," he said.
"Scientists believe the temporary re-location of a bat colony is due to habitat destruction in coastal areas."
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