Leave bats where they are, group advises as pup season arrives

A Victoria conservation group warns Islanders may see more bats around their homes and even on the ground, as pups are learning to fly this time of year.

“They’re still trying to find where they should be roosting,” says Paige Erickson-McGee, Habitat Acquisition Trust’s stewardship program manager.

“They get a little bit lost when they’re first learning to fly.”

The regional land trust group is educating people on what to do and expect when bats may be closer to us than usual.

HAT says you might find them in attics, doorways, window screens and on the ground.

If you find one, dead or alive, you should never touch it with your bare hands, HAT says, as bats are known to carry rabies.

“If folks come into close contact with a bat, we want to make sure you’re wearing leather gloves or you’re using a tool (such as a hand trowel) to move any kind of bat if it’s on the ground,” says Erickson-McGee. “Ideally, people leave the bats where they are. They might be there for a day or two, but typically they move on.”

Under the BC Wildlife Act, it’s illegal to exterminate or harm the mammals.

HAT says anyone who suspects a bite or scratch from a bat is encouraged to immediately wash the area with soap and water for 15 minutes – and contact their doctor as soon as possible, or visit the emergency department.