Bats

Today is Halloween, and one of the most recognized symbols of the day, along with ghosts and pumpkins and skeletons, is the bat.  Colorado is home to several species of bats.  You can learn about Colorado’s bats at the Colorado Division of Parks & Wildlife’s species profile or check out their publication Bats of Colorado:  Shadows in the Night, available from our library.   
Recently, many Colorado bats have been infected with white nose syndrome, which is causing the deaths of large numbers of bat populations.  Bats are an important element of the ecosystem.  If you spot a dead or infected bat, you are encouraged to contact the Division at 303-291-7771 or email wildlife.batline@state.co.us.  However, do not handle bats, as many are carriers of rabies.