Local authorities are once again warning the public of the danger posed by rabies after a rabid bat was found in Chico’s Lower Bidwell Park.
The bat was located and trapped near Sycamore Pool. Considered beneficial for their voracious appetite for mosquitoes and other flying insects, bats are also a key vector for the frequently fatal disease.
The ailment, transmitted by saliva, scratches and bites, attacks the brain. Rabid animals are known for peculiar behavior. Bats that are visible during daylight hours, unable to fly, found indoors or allowing people or pets to approach, should be considered infected with the virus.
People finding bats suspected of harboring rabies are asked to contact animal control and if possible to safely contain the animal with an inverted container, such as a cardboard box, without touching it.