Tag

Bats

All articles tagged with #bats

health2 days ago•2 min saved

First Livingston County bat tests positive for rabies, health advisory issued

A bat found in Livingston County, Michigan has tested positive for rabies, the county's first animal case of the year. Health officials urge residents to avoid direct contact with bats, capture any found bat for testing, and seek medical advice if exposed, since bat bites can be small and hard to detect. Exposures should be reported via the health department’s online system or by calling 517-552-6882; keep pets vaccinated and seal homes to prevent bat entry.

via ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4|

#bats #health #livingston-county

health12 days ago•13 min saved

Rabid bat found in Mackay prompts rabies precautions

Eastern Idaho Public Health confirms a laboratory‑tested rabid bat in Mackay (Custer County). Rabies is fatal if not treated, so do not touch bats; seek medical advice immediately if exposure is suspected, and have the bat tested for rabies (testing is free if exposure is suspected). Vaccinate pets (dogs, cats, ferrets, horses) and bat‑proof homes to reduce risk. For bat‑proofing guidance, see CDC resources referenced by the article.

via East Idaho News|

#bats #health #idaho

science12 days ago•7 min saved

Tiny microbes may shield bats from a deadly fungus

Scientists are testing a probiotic treatment derived from bat microbiomes to slow the spread of white-nose syndrome (Pd fungus) in North American bats. Early field work in the Northwest Territories shows some promise, particularly in cooler, subarctic caves, but habitat disruption from wildfires and varying bat species’ resilience mean results are not yet certain; more data are needed next spring to determine wider application.

via The Guardian|

#bats #conservation #northwest-territories

local18 days ago•1 min saved

Rabies-Positive Bat Detected After Indoor Bat Cluster in Golden Valley

Seven bats were found indoors in a Golden Valley home in mid‑July after one bat attacked another and tested positive for rabies; the colony entered through gaps around the fireplace. Health officials warn that any indoor bat is a potential public health risk and advise keeping pets away, not touching the bat, and calling a wildlife professional, as August is peak bat season in the Twin Cities.

via 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS|

#bats #golden-valley #local

infectious-diseases23 days ago•15 min saved

Brisbane horse outbreak unlocked the bat spillover puzzle

A 1994 outbreak of Hendra virus in Brisbane horses, with human infections, revealed a bat-borne zoonosis in which flying foxes were the reservoir and horses acted as amplifying hosts. The investigation linked spillover to ecological disruption—habitat loss and urban bats moving closer to people—showing, over decades, how habitat change drives disease emergence and how winter flowering of eucalyptus could lure bats away from farms to prevent spillovers. The work helped establish the ecological basis for preventing bat-to-human infections rather than relying solely on medical interventions.

via The Guardian|

#bats #deforestation #hendra-virus

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Crowded Bats Sync Echolocation to Create a Quiet Echo Window

Greater Japanese horseshoe bats living in colonies gradually converge their echolocation call frequencies to a shared range, creating a 'silent spectral window' that reduces interference and improves prey detection. Lower-frequency bats shift upward more than higher-frequency bats, and adjustments occur mainly when there are noticeable differences between individuals.

via The Times of India|

#acoustics #bats #colony-behavior

world1 month ago•10 min saved

Rabies alert after bat lands on restaurant table in San Diego

San Diego health officials have issued a rabies warning after a bat with the disease landed on a family’s table at a local restaurant. The bat is the 22nd to test positive for rabies in the county this year. Officials emphasize not touching bats and note their ecological role, advising anyone with direct contact to wash the exposed area and seek medical care promptly if exposure occurred.

via The Independent|

#americas #bats #california

science1 month ago•18 min saved

Bats of the Big Apple: Urban Wildlife That Eats Mosquitoes

New York City’s bats have found a surprising foothold in urban green spaces like the High Line and Prospect Park, with researchers tracking their echolocation as several species adapt to city life; the work underscores bats’ role in pest control and highlights the broader, often unseen, wildlife thriving among NYC’s parks and streets.

via The New York Times|

#bats #echolocation #mosquitoes

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Old master painting hints at bats preying on birds in flight

Researchers analyzing Jan Brueghel the Elder’s painting Air argue it depicts a noctule bat catching a bird midflight, aligning with recent evidence that larger bats eat birds. The study links modern tracking with historical art and suggests more natural-history knowledge may be hiding in paintings, though it remains unclear whether Brueghel observed the event or drew on symbolic or secondhand observations.

via CBC|

#art-history #bats #birds

health1 month ago•2 min saved

Ontario boy’s bat encounter ends in rabies death, prompting call for rapid exposure treatment

An 11-year-old Ontario boy died of rabies after a bat touched his face at a cottage; rabies is extremely rare in Canada, but bat exposure can transmit the virus even without obvious bites. The case underscores the importance of early post-exposure prophylaxis, which is highly effective when administered promptly, and highlights public awareness about seeking urgent medical care after potential exposure.

via The Guardian|

#bats #health #ontario

science1 month ago•8 min saved

A 17th-Century Flemish Painting Hints at Bird-Hunting Bats

A 1611 painting Air by Jan Brueghel the Elder, renowned for its detailed menagerie, appears to depict a bat catching a bird in flight. A recent PNAS paper argues this could be the first direct visual evidence of bird-eating behavior by greater noctule bats, suggesting Brueghel may have captured real natural history observations and highlighting a novel link between art and historical ecology.

via Defector|

#bats #bird-predation #jan-brueghel-the-elder

world1 month ago•24 min saved

Bat lands on sleeping boy’s face; 11-year-old dies of rabies in Canada

An 11-year-old boy in Northern Ontario woke to find a bat on his face, with no visible wounds. About 19 days later he developed rabies symptoms and died after rapid neurological decline; the case, the first locally acquired rabies in the area since 1967, underscores how bat exposures can be missed and the importance of prompt rabies prevention after potential contact.

via New York Post|

#bats #canada #pediatrics

canada2 months ago•13 min saved

Parks Canada deploys bacteria to curb deadly white-nose syndrome in Alberta bats

Parks Canada crews in Alberta are applying a blend of bacteria in bat caves to slow the spread of white-nose syndrome, a deadly fungal infection that wakes hibernating bats, drains their fat reserves, and can wipe out large portions of a colony (up to about 98%). The outbreak has affected caves such as in Jasper National Park, threatening local bat populations, though it poses no risk to humans. The effort aims to prevent local extinction of Alberta’s hibernating bats.

via Global News|

#alberta-bats #bats #canada

health2 months ago•1 min saved

Wyoming Reports Rabies Return With Wildlife Risk This Summer

Wyoming public health officials warn that rabies has returned as wildlife, especially bats and skunks, can carry the disease; the first 2026 case was a rabid bat found in Sheridan County in May. Bites or scratches can transmit rabies, and bat bites may not be visible, so anyone with bat contact or a bat in their home should seek medical advice for possible post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Prevention includes not touching wild animals, washing wounds, and vaccinating pets.

via Rural Radio Network|

#bats #health #pep

public-health3 months ago•6 min saved

Bats, borders and bushmeat: why Ebola keeps flaring in the DRC

Public-health researcher James Baguma explains that the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the DRC is likely driven by bat-to-human spillover in a landscape of intense wildlife–people interaction—hunting, bushmeat markets, and bats entering homes—coupled with porous borders and cross-border movement with Uganda. Reducing risk hinges on trusted local leaders and women’s groups delivering locally resonant messages about safer practices around bats and wildlife contact.

via Nature|

#bats #drc #ebola