A bat is a unique mammal, the only one capable of sustained flight. As wild animals, bats are not friendly and must never be approached, handled, or encouraged to interact with people.
Understanding Bat Behavior
Bats are naturally shy creatures that evolved to avoid daytime activity and human contact. They are nocturnal, emerging at dusk to hunt, which allows them to exploit a less crowded ecological niche and avoid most diurnal predators. Their primary defense mechanism is avoidance, and they will retreat when they sense a human presence.
Much of the fear surrounding bats stems from common but inaccurate myths. For example, the idea that bats are blind is incorrect; they possess adequate vision but rely on echolocation, a sophisticated sonar system, for navigation and hunting in the dark. Stories of bats purposefully flying into human hair are also untrue, as their echolocation allows them to navigate around obstacles with high precision. Aggression from a bat is almost always a sign that it is injured, trapped, or sick.
The Critical Health Risk of Rabies
While the vast majority of bats are healthy, these animals pose the single most significant risk for rabies transmission to humans in the United States. Since 1960, approximately 70% of all human rabies cases acquired within the U.S. have been caused by bat strains of the virus. Although less than 1% of the wild bat population is infected with rabies, the danger comes from the nature of bat-human contact.
A bat that is rabid may exhibit unusual behavior, such as flying during the day, being unable to fly, or being found on the ground. A major concern is that a bat bite or scratch can be extremely small, sometimes described as smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser, making it easy to go unnoticed. Exposure is defined not only by a definite bite but also by finding a bat in a room with an unattended child or an incapacitated person, or waking up to find one in your room. This uncertainty requires immediate medical consultation due to the near 100% fatality rate of rabies once symptoms appear.
Bats as Essential Wildlife
Bats are valuable contributors to ecosystems worldwide. The insect-eating species, which are the most common in North America, provide an enormous economic and environmental service through pest control. A single little brown bat, for example, can consume up to 1,200 mosquito-sized insects in just one hour.
This natural predation helps suppress populations of agricultural pests, reducing the need for chemical pesticides on crops and saving the U.S. agricultural industry billions of dollars annually. Beyond insect control, many tropical and desert bat species are also pollinators for night-blooming plants, including the agave plant used to make tequila and various fruit trees. Fruit-eating bats also play a role in seed dispersal, which is important for the regeneration of forests.
Safe Interaction and Encounter Protocols
The correct procedure for any bat encounter is to avoid direct contact and prioritize safety. If you find a bat flying inside your home, the first step is to isolate it by closing all interior doors. Next, open a window or exterior door in the room and turn off the lights, allowing the bat a clear path to exit on its own.
If the bat is grounded or you suspect potential exposure, it is important to safely contain the bat for testing without touching it with bare hands. You should place a box or container over the bat, slide a piece of cardboard underneath, and immediately contact your local public health department or animal control. Do not release a bat that has been in direct contact with a person or pet.
If there is any possibility of a bite or scratch, the immediate first aid is to thoroughly wash the wound with soap and water for several minutes. Prompt medical attention is necessary to determine the need for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a series of shots given to prevent rabies infection. To humanely exclude bats from a structure, all entry points must be sealed. This must be done only after ensuring all bats have left and outside of the maternity season, when non-flying young may be trapped inside.