JUAB, Utah — The Juab School District has canceled some activities and moved classrooms due to a bat infestation at Juab High School.
In an email to parents, the district said Wednesday that, "all activities and classes scheduled to take place in the gym and adjacent classrooms will relocated or rescheduled until further notice."
Juab School District Superintendent, Dr. Kodey Hughes, told FOX 13 News that they noticed a number of bats Tuesday, and that by the end of the day there were between 8-10 bats in the rafters. He added that access to the gym in the area impacted was closed off Wednesday, including staff.
A mitigation company has been called to remove the bats starting Thursday. According to school officials, they will remove the bats inside the gym and seal off areas they feel the bats are using to get inside.
Dr. Hughes says the district contacted the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources who gave the school a list of companies to contact.
Hughes added that the district has not been made aware of any students or staff coming into contact with the bats.
Bats can be carriers of rabies, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and the virus can be deadly if transmitted to people. If you do have contact with a bat your are urged to contact you local health department for guidance.
According to the DWR, bat infestations are very common in the summer months. The add that, "Utahns may see more bats this time of year because the baby bats (also called pups) are learning to fly and leaving their roosts for the first time."
"Encounters with bats seem to spike in September as the migratory species, especially the Mexican-free tailed bat, move around the state," DWR Mammal Conservation Coordinator Kimberly Hersey said.
Bats are a protected wildlife species and it is illegal to kill them in Utah. DWR says that for infestations people should coordinate with a company to authorize the removal at specific times of the year that won't harm the pups.
