Vinke,
Just talked to 4 classes ranging from 50-75 kids per class 2nd graders in the last few weeks.
I spend a ton of time emphasizing that while a bat looks small and furry and to many "cute"
you should never touch a bat without a parent present and without protection.
Knowing some will not listen as much about their own safety or understand it, I explain that
the only way to test a bat is to kill the bat, so not touching one without gloves and a parent or
adult keeps not only you but the bat safe.
Many of the schools we have around here, have some seeking daily torpor in entry and exits where
stucco surfaces and shaded areas make a nice spot to relax. Unfortunately, many kids (boys mostly)
use these as opportunities to knock the bats down with rocks, sticks etc....making these pickup
incidence larger in possibility.
Of course, we talk about kids, but a month back at a local hospital a couple bats were hanging in an
entryway. One of the medical officers decided since he had a degree once upon a time 15+ years ago
that included some bat work, he'd catch them, box them up and take them into his office (mind you,
that means he brought the outdoor bats, inside the hospital!!!).
The bats proceded to escape the box and fly around a wing of the hospital until captured, which raised
this from just a simple bats outside, to oh my gosh, we've got a serious serious bat problem!
Needless to say, he didn't much want to visit with me when they brought him to talk to me about their
issue.
Public education about all wildlife is sorely needed!
