Bats

This is a copy of the email from Mollie on March 24, 2025

School district admin and staff,

As spring is upon us and with warmer temperatures in the forecast for the next couple of weeks, I wanted to give you some info on what to do if bats are found in any of the Uintah Basin schools. 

I also wanted to make sure you keep my/our contact information handy. I work out of the Vernal office, but our DWR region covers northeastern Utah, so this is meant for all schools in the tri-county area.

WHAT TO DO

Bats are a protected wildlife species and it is illegal to kill them. If a bat is found inside any building or near an entryway of a school, we ask that you keep everyone away from it/them and report it to us. We take bat encounters very seriously and work to respond promptly to a report. Because bats can be carriers of rabies — a deadly virus that can be transmitted to people — we want to ensure the safety of your staff and your students by following these steps. 

We will need to know:

• If the bat is inside a building or outside. Often, if the bat is outside, it may leave on its own, but we can help give it a nudge. 

• How many there are?

• If the bat(s) is alive or dead.

• If anyone has interacted with the bat or may have been bitten. You will need to work closely with Tri-County Health in this situation. PLEASE do not allow your staff or your students to handle any bat.

If your school has bats, we need your help in reducing any interactions with them until we can assess the situation and get you the assistance you need. 

IF SCHOOLS FIND A BAT(S), please have them call the Vernal UDWR office during normal business hours, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (435)781-9453. If it is after normal business hours or on holidays, you may contact Central Dispatch at (435) 789-4222. They will contact an on-call DWR biologist or law enforcement officer. You may also contact our conservation biologist, directly:

Brian Maxfield

(435)790-5355

Our top priority is human safety, but we also try not to kill the bats. Euthanizing a bat is the last resort, but may be necessary if one has come into direct contact with a person or pet. 

We publish a news article annually on bat conflict, but we do not have nuisance control staff in the Uintah Basin per the article—hence providing you with the info above. 

Here's the article I'd like for you to pass along to your school administrators, custodial, nursing, kitchen staff, and other staff members, so we are all on the same page. Tri-County Health also has its public safety protocols, so please feel free to contact them with any additional questions or concerns.

Tips to help prevent conflict with bats this summer and fall

Thank you for your time, and please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns that I can assist you with.

Tonya

Conservation Outreach Manager