If you see these mosquito-loving mammals around, don’t freak out: Wildlife director

WILDNorth says bat sightings in Edmonton are on the rise as young bats are leaving the nest and is reminding people to leave the animals alone.

It isn’t Halloween yet, but bats are certainly out in full force right now.

That’s why WILDNorth executive director Dale Gienow says their wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre is getting a disproportionate influx of calls about the critters.

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“People are coming across bats that are maybe gripped onto the side of a building near a commercial entranceway, sometimes they’ll make their way into a home,” he said. “So people interfacing with bats.”

This is because, he explained, baby bats (or bat pups) are coming full cycle and beginning to grow up and disperse from the roost.

Gienow said that’s what makes it so important for people calling in about bats to remain calm and ask for information instead of taking it upon themselves to move the pups.

He said the myths surrounding bats only exacerbate the panicked calls they may get.

“A lot of people are nervous about them or afraid of them, so a lot of the calls are just inquiries as to whether they should be worried about this,” he said.

But he said bats should really be treated like any other animal in the Edmonton area.

“If you see them, it’s a banner day. They’re nocturnal, so we don’t normally see them out during the day. So if you’re lucky enough to see one roosting somewhere, that’s a pretty cool thing.”

Gienow said there are nine species of bats throughout the province. Three of them migrate during the wintertime while the rest will hibernate here.

What to do if you find a bat around

While bats are one of the more common mammal species, Gienow notes Alberta is host to some endangered types, like the eastern red bat.

The ones Edmontonians are most likely to come across are little brown bats and big brown bats.

“They’re prevalent and really beneficial, great pollinators that help control insect populations. They love to eat mosquitoes, which we love to get rid of,” he said.

While there isn’t much to worry about when it comes to bats, Gienow did say that the one concern should be about mammals being a “number one rabies vector.”

“If you have one in your house, we encourage people not to handle them. You don’t want to touch them, especially with unprotected or non-gloved hands,” he said.

Anyone who does come in contact with a bat without protection should seek advice from a health professional or call 811. Pets who come into contact with bats should be taken to the veterinarian just in case, he said.

But he emphasized that rabies is not that common in bats. WILDNorth has had a few cases of rabies-infected bats in the past several years, though, so he said it never hurts to be careful.

If you come across a bat who just happens to be hanging around, Gienow advises to let them be and wait for them to take off on their own. He said they’ll most likely disappear as the sun starts to set.

If a bat is laying on the ground, he said that’s a different story and a centre like WILDNorth should be notified.

“Bats are a really cool species. You think about being a flying mammal, it’s incredible, but they do take some pretty specialized care,” Gienow said.

If a bat gets into your house, Gienow suggests cupping them with a container of some kind and placing them outside.

Anyone with questions or who needs information on bats in their vicinity can contact their local rehabilitation centre or WILDNorth directly.