Frequently Asked Questions

Nongame Wildlife

I see bats around my property. How many bats have rabies?

According to Merlin Tuttle of Bat Conservation International, less than one half of 1 percent of bats contract rabies, a frequency no higher than that seen in many other animals, such as raccoons, foxes and coyotes. Like these other animals, infected bats die quickly, but unlike even dogs and cats, rabid bats seldom become aggressive. Should you see a bat during the day on the ground or moving sluggishly, do not pick it up.