People who encounter bats should be especially careful because a healthy bat is usually skilled at avoiding people, officials said.As opposed to bats found walking on what, exactly?
The rabid bats found locally include ones found walking on the ground and during daylight, uncommon behaviors for a bat, officials said.
Anyway, chances of an encounter are higher than average.
So far in 2011, 22 rabid bats have been confirmed, according to the veterinary public health division of the county health department. In a typical year, about nine are found.No word on squirrels & other rodentia w/ bubonic plague this season.
In the Santa Clarita Valley alone, tests indicated rabies in nine bats.
6 comments:
I've learned that we here in Topanga are experiencing a rat infestation that's due to a scarcity of rattlesnakes. Apparently, people using rat poison for rodents have inadvertantly poisoning the predators of the rats - snakes, hawks, and coyotes - who eat the bodies of dying rats. This has had an effect on the predator populations, but, unfortunately, not on the rat population - they just keep breeding.
Our car fire was probably due to rats in the engine. We've been trapping rats with the electric Rat Zapper, which is, I hope, poetic justice.
Oh, I forgot to mention - we see lots of bats in our skies, here in Topanga. They are still thriving here. They are probably not eating poisoned rats!
we have been seeing a rash of pet disappearances lately, and Wife Sublime suspects that coyotes have worked their way down the River to our neighborhood....if so, our Toby is a likely victim also.
We have a bat house on the chimbley, and I have seen a bat swooping through the backyard in recent evenings. No walking though.
Our car fire was probably due to rats in the engine. I figured as much Auntie Snow..they chew up the wiring harness and I have seen many a folk that had the same problem m'dear...fires and such.
When you mess w/motha nature and try to circumvent the heirarchy..you always..always screw it up..as witnessed by your lack of reptiles. Sad but true.
we have been seeing a rash of pet disappearances lately, and Wife Sublime suspects that coyotes have worked their way down the River to our neighborhood Coyotes will go after any small mammals when their food sources dry up. I know this all to well from my time in San Diego, where coyotes will come right into your backyard as bold as can be, to eat pet food or said pets. I have experienced it myself whilst walking my little dog in the dead of night..they tried to grab him on his extended leash..it was a horrible experience and one I never wish to relive again.
Other friends have seen their beloved pets perish in front of eyes within two feet of their back doors. Coyotes are bold mutha fuckas.
Natural World Editor:
We've seen coyotes in the flatlands of West Hollywood, running down the middle of the street many blocks south of anything resembling nature. Realized they were coyotes because domestic dogs running free know to stay on the sidewalks. (And any golden retriever-looking dog in WeHo would be groomed, even if running loose.) How they made it across Sunset & Santa Monica Blvds. & Melrose Ave. is a mystery.
Never seen a bat on the loose here 'though. Hawks in flight, an owl in a tree, the usual opossums, raccoons (Those suckers are big!) skunks, rats & mice on the streets, but never a bat.
Something to look forward to.
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