The state of Idaho has seen an increase in the number of rabid bats this year compared to previous years.
According to the Department of Health and Welfare, of the 299 bats submitted for testing, 25 have tested positive for rabies in the Gem State, meaning only 8.3% of tested bats have rabies, but it is still an increase.
Rita Dixon, state wildlife action plan coordinator with Idaho Fish and Game, says less than 0.1% of wild bats actually have rabies and that the tested bats are a biased sample. Tested bats are those that are brought in after showing odd behavior or coming in contact with a human.
Dr. Christine Hahn, medical director and state epidemiologist in the division of public health for the DHW, says there are signs people can look for to know whether a bat they encounter may have rabies.
“Most bats, of course, don’t have rabies,” Hahn said. “If you’re sitting on your back porch at night and you see bats flitting about and they’re catching insects and they’re doing normal bat things, that is not a bat to be concerned about. Go ahead and enjoy watching them. They’re beautiful animals. But if a bat is coming at you, if at flies at you and lands on you or scrapes you somehow, that is not normal and that should make you worry about rabies.”
Rabies are typically transmitted through saliva or bites and scratches.
Hahn says there are several things people can take to prevent both themselves and their pets from getting rabies, such as making sure pets are vaccinated and going to the doctor if they or their pet has had contact with a bat.
Hahn has advice for people that may encounter bats.
“Most bats are healthy,” Hahn said. “There are bats that you find in your yard or in your barn and there’s no reason to kill them. If they’re healthy bats, you can certainly talk to a bat rehabilitator or to a specialist who might be able to help you remove them safely to another area, but we aren’t advising anybody to go out and harm any bats. We hope that people just are aware of aggressive animals. That’s what we’re trying to warn the public about.”
Dixon emphasized the importance of bats.
“Bats are important,” Dixon said. “They are essential to our environment. They are economically valuable. They provide over $313 million a year to our agricultural industry through pest control.”
For more information on bats and their crucial role in the environment, visit BatCon.org.