10-30-2007, 09:10 PM
Bats in Utah have received lots of attention over the past couple of years.
That attention has been positive, and not so positive.
Learn more, but keep your distance<br />
In the past, if a colony of bats was discovered in an area where people lived, the colony was usually destroyed.<br />
A bat colony and an old warehouse in west Clearfield seemed destined for that end until Division of Wildlife Resources Sensitive Species Biologist Adam Kozlowski stepped up. Kozlowski helped school district officials understand the benefits of having bats in the area. He also used the bat colony as a way to help students and the general public understand and appreciate the important role bats play in our ecosystem. In the end, the colony was saved and people in northern Utah began to understand the benefits of having bats in the area.<br />
Not all of the attention bats have received has been positive, however. This past summer, 14 students in the Davis School District had to receive rabies inoculations after handling bats that were sick. This was a painful reminder to the students, and to all Utahns, that wild animals should be handled only by wildlife experts.
Learning more<br />
Utah has 10 species of bats. A great place to learn more about them is the Utah Conservation Data Center. You can start your journey of discovery at http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/ucdc.<br />
Another excellent place to learn about bats is http://science.howstuffworks.com/bat4.htm. This site provides great background on why bats are typically misunderstood, and even feared, by people...
That attention has been positive, and not so positive.
Learn more, but keep your distance<br />
In the past, if a colony of bats was discovered in an area where people lived, the colony was usually destroyed.<br />
A bat colony and an old warehouse in west Clearfield seemed destined for that end until Division of Wildlife Resources Sensitive Species Biologist Adam Kozlowski stepped up. Kozlowski helped school district officials understand the benefits of having bats in the area. He also used the bat colony as a way to help students and the general public understand and appreciate the important role bats play in our ecosystem. In the end, the colony was saved and people in northern Utah began to understand the benefits of having bats in the area.<br />
Not all of the attention bats have received has been positive, however. This past summer, 14 students in the Davis School District had to receive rabies inoculations after handling bats that were sick. This was a painful reminder to the students, and to all Utahns, that wild animals should be handled only by wildlife experts.
Learning more<br />
Utah has 10 species of bats. A great place to learn more about them is the Utah Conservation Data Center. You can start your journey of discovery at http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/ucdc.<br />
Another excellent place to learn about bats is http://science.howstuffworks.com/bat4.htm. This site provides great background on why bats are typically misunderstood, and even feared, by people...