NOT Opposed to the Bat Tower

Chances of this happening in our homes are extremely high.

Examples of bat infestation:

Infestation of Bats in Roof Tiles

Swarming Bats!

Bats are wild mammals and do carry rabies, however rabies only Bats are wild mammals and do carry rabies, however rabies only

occurs in about .5 percent (1 in 200) of the bats in a population.occurs in about .5 percent (1 in 200) of the bats in a population.

Likely to be found on the ground, sluggish and easy for children Likely to be found on the ground, sluggish and easy for children

to pick up. to pick up.

Children must be warned to NEVER touch any batChildren must be warned to NEVER touch any bat

More likely to be rabies-positive and may bite in self-defense.More likely to be rabies-positive and may bite in self-defense.

If a bat must be removed by an untrained adult:

Use a coffee can with a piece of stiff cardboard.

Place the can over the bat and gently slide the cardboard

under the can, trapping the bat inside without touching

it.

The bats normally emerge during a 15- to 20-minute period:

After sunset Before total darkness Calm, warm evenings when

temperatures are above 65 F.

Bats may swoop near those observing the emergence to eat insects attracted to the carbon dioxide in human breath, however they will not attack or harm people when left alone.

High winds, heavy rain or cold temperatures will keep the bats in the house for the evening.

On warm winter evenings, the bats may come out for a drink of water at the lake and exercise; however they can eat only when bugs are flying.

Important things to remember when observing the bats

1. Please do not throw any objects at the bats or the Bat House or Bat Barn.

2.Avoid making loud or high-pitched

noises, as the bats are easily

disturbed. Parents, please encourage

children to comply.

3. Maintain a safe distance from the structures by remaining behind the wooden fence of the observation area.

4. Beware of falling urine and guano as bats fly overhead.

5. Never pick up a bat on the ground.

• When fire destroyed UF’s Johnson Hall in 1987, a colony of bats occupying the attic were left homeless and soon inhabited the concrete bleachers of James G. Pressly Stadium.

• UAA decided to exclude the bats from the facilities and build a structure a safe distance from humans

• The odor and stains from urine and guano and the bats’ close The odor and stains from urine and guano and the bats’ close proximity to spectators were a nuisance. proximity to spectators were a nuisance.

• Built in March 1991 with support from the University Athletic Association. • In September 1991, several thousand bats were captured from the stadiums, In September 1991, several thousand bats were captured from the stadiums,

transported and released in the Bat House. transported and released in the Bat House. • The following evening, the bats emerged and found other places to live, while The following evening, the bats emerged and found other places to live, while

the Bat House sat vacant for more than three years, leaving UF officials and the Bat House sat vacant for more than three years, leaving UF officials and many citizens in doubt about the success of the relocation project.many citizens in doubt about the success of the relocation project.

• Bats permanently occupied the house in January 1995 and have raised nursery colonies in late Spring each year.

• But in 1995 the bats moved in permanently, and the colony continued to grow. • In 2009, the internal structure of the house collapsed from the weight of the bats the internal structure of the house collapsed from the weight of the bats

and the urine-soaked wood.and the urine-soaked wood.• The Bat Barn was built in March 2010 and became permanently occupied in

August 2011.

Called "free-tailed" because the end of the tail extends beyond the edge of the tail membrane. All of the other bats of Florida have tail membranes that go to the tip of the tail.

A medium sized bat (7-14 g) with brownish gray fur. A medium sized bat (7-14 g) with brownish gray fur.

Distinctive musky odor. It is often possible to smell a large Distinctive musky odor. It is often possible to smell a large colony of Free-tailed bats from a long distance away, up to colony of Free-tailed bats from a long distance away, up to half a block if the wind is right. half a block if the wind is right.

Are strong fast fliers with long narrow wings.

Can fly at more than 25 mph and are known to fly to an altitude over 9,000 feet

The Brazilian free-tailed bat is one of the most abundant native mammals living in urban areas in Florida.

The subspecies found in Florida and the southeastern U.S is called Tadarida brasiliensis cynocephala. Our southeastern free-tailed bats do not migrate and are never found in caves

It occurs statewide. Forming colonies It occurs statewide. Forming colonies (from 50-20,000 bats) in man-made (from 50-20,000 bats) in man-made structures like buildings and under structures like buildings and under

bridges. bridges.

The free-tailed bat in Florida commonly roosts:

Under the tiles of Spanish tile roofs Inside concrete block walls In attics Behind facia boards In chimneys Expansion joints of concrete

structures like bridges and stadiums.

They often share these structures with: Evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis) Southeastern bats (Myotis

austroriparius) Big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

The bats can make roosting sites of buildings

regardless of "age, height, architecture,

construction materials, occupancy by humans and

compass orientation.

most bats in Florida seem to prefer buildings and

other man-made structures over natural roosts.[

Free tails sometimes roost in different structures

in the winter than they use for maternity colonies

in the summer. Free-tails mate from mid-

February through late March.

The young start flying about 5 weeks after their

birth and then fly with their mothers for several

weeks before venturing out on their own.

In August and September, the number of solitary

young bats that show up in or on buildings is due

to those juveniles being of on their own and

getting lost.

The bats that are found in people’s houses are usually younger bats that have lost their The bats that are found in people’s houses are usually younger bats that have lost their

way.way.

They may also be adult bats that accidentally fly through an open window or door.

The first step in removing a bat from your home is to stay calm. If the bat is flying around,

it is not trying to attack anyone, it is only attempting to find a way out. Turn on the lights

in the house so that you can easily see the bat and they can also see you. Next, close the

doors to adjoining rooms to confine it to one room. Open any exterior doors and windows

in the room the bat is flying around. More than likely, the bat will just fly out the open door

or window within a few minutes. Do not "chase" the bat out. It will think you are

attempting to harm it ,and will take longer to find a way out.

If the bat does not fly out on its own, you can wait for it to land. Then gently capture it.

Never try to handle a bat with bare hands because, like other animals, it may bite to

protect itself. If you have more than one or two bats entering your home within a season,

you may have bats living in your roof, eaves, or attic.

Seek medical attention immediately if: Bitten by the bat Transferred saliva from the bat to an open wound, their eyes,

mouth, or nose. In that case the bat will need to be saved so it can be tested to see if

it has rabies.

For more information on bats and rabies please visit the Centers for Disease Control website.

You may also wish to read a webpage about bats found on the ground.

If the bats become a nuisance, the only long term solution is to perform (or hire someone to perform) a bat exclusion. A bat exclusion is a non-lethal way of evicting bats from a building without harming them. If you would like to learn more about conducting a bat exclusion click on the following hyperlink, or go to our website library and click on "How to conduct a bat exclusion."

Several highly fatal diseases have been linked to bats.Rabies is perhaps the most well known disease associated with bats. An exposure to rabies most commonly occurs when a person is bitten by a rabid animal. It can also be transmitted when the saliva from a rabid animal comes in contact with a person's mouth, eyes, nose, or a fresh wound.When a person is exposed to rabies, timely administration of a vaccine known as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can prevent infection. Once a person becomes infected and symptoms begin to occur, rabies is almost always fatal. Each year in the United States, up to 30,000 persons receive PEP due to potential exposure to a rabid animal, including bats.

Histoplasmosis is another disease associated with bats. Its symptoms vary greatly, but the disease primarily affects the lungs. Occasionally, other organs are affected. When this happens it can be fatal if untreated.Caused by a fungus that grows in soil and material contaminated with droppings from animals, including bats. Droppings, also known as bat guano, can contaminate the soil and cause infectious spores to be released when the soil is disturbed.Even though it can be found throughout the world, it is widespread in certain areas of the U.S. and can be found in places that harbor large populations of bats, including caves.

Consider "Consider "bat-proofingbat-proofing" your living space" your living space

It is important to avoid being near or coming into contact with bat droppings. Precautions can be taken at outdoor locales to help minimize the risk of exposure to bats and their excretions:Carefully examine your home for holes that might allow bats entry into your living quarters.Any openings larger than a quarter-inch by a half-inch should be caulked.Use window screens, chimney caps, and draft-guards beneath doors to attics.Fill electrical and plumbing holes with stainless steel wool or caulking. Ensure that all doors to the outside close tightly.Screens or mosquito netting can provide a useful barrier against direct bat contact.Teach children to never to handle live or dead bats, as well as any unfamiliar wild or domestic animals. Tell them to report any contact or unusual animal behavior to an adult right away.

Most bats leave in the fall or winter to hibernate, so these are the best times to "bat-proof" your home. During summer, many young bats are unable to fly. If you exclude adult bats during this time, the young may be trapped inside.

Why are we not putting the bat tower here??

 Questions:Questions:1.) Why has the site where the land has been cleared and the pavilion built been determined to be a poor location for the Bat Tower? We have been told that there are too many trees around it, but we know that a large amount of trees have been cleared. Plus it is near the river. Please explain why this location will not work.

2.) If this is going to be a tourist attraction, where are people going to park? The boat ramp parking area is not large enough to accommodate any more visitors. We do not need S. Riverhills to be any busier than it is now. At dusk is when the boaters start coming in off the water. The traffic is bad enough now. If people start coming to view the bats leaving the bat house at dusk, the traffic will definitely be a problem and a nuisance for the neighborhood.

3.) Is there any issue with the location at the East end of Whiteway Dr. on the river? This may also be too close to a neighborhood, but at least it would be somewhat more secluded.

4.) Why was the neighborhood not better informed of this location? We feel that if we had known that this location was even still being considered, we as a neighborhood would have voiced our concerns sooner and louder.

5.) In this crazy world we live in now, we have so much to worry about and to be afraid of. Do we also have to be concerned that when our children and grandchildren are at a park there is a danger, even a slight danger and a man made danger at that, of them coming in contact with a bat or a disease that comes from a bat? Is this something we want to add to lives?

6.) Why do we want to take away from this beautiful park land? We have so few areas of land in Temple Terrace where we have open fields and beautiful scenery. Why do we want to encroach on the little we have left?