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Frequently Asked Questions
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- The Indiana bat is an endangered species and federally protected
- Both the Indiana and Small-Footed bats are state protected in Vermont out of the nine species found here
- Less than half of one percent of bats have rabies
- Even though the incidence of rabies from bats in Vermont is low, never touch a bat. Why take the risk?
- A bat found lying on the ground may be sick and should be avoided
- If for some reason you are bitten, contact your doctor and state authorities immediately. The bat must be captured and tested for rabies
- After entering hibernation, bats must survive several months on limited stores of fat
- If a bat is disturbed when hibernating it uses up critical fat reserves needed for winter survival and may die
- A hibernating bat can be disturbed by noises, walking by, the heat of your body and your light
- Female bats only reproduce one bat per year
- Avoid mines or caves where large numbers of bats are roosting
- Bat rabies only account for one death per year in the US, while 30,000 die from rabies contracted mostly from dogs world wide
- 50 bats can eat 30 million insects in one summer
- The most serious threats to bats comes from loss of habitat, human interference and pesticide use
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Caving FAQs