A shortage of food is driving hungry flying foxes into suburban Sydney yards, increasing their risk of injury and death and potentially exposing humans to a deadly virus.

With a growing number of flying foxes in need of assistance, wildlife rescue organisation WIRES is urging members of the community not to touch the animals but to phone for help, to protect themselves as well as the flying foxes.

WIRES is urging people not to touch any injured, sick or abandoned flying foxes. Credit:R Hansen, WIRES

A lack of flowering native trees and plants along the coasts of NSW and Victoria has increased the number of flying foxes foraging for food in people's yards and getting tangled in fruit tree netting, with wide-holed nets posing a particular threat.

WIRES flying fox coordinator Storm Stanford said volunteers had rescued 160 bats in the past week - 10 times more than during the same period last year.