A “Living Near Bats” program will be held May 19 in Huntsville. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Department of State Health Services, along with others, are sponsors of the workshop.
The goal of the program is to provide participants with the opportunity to better understand bats and their behavior and avoid rabies.
The event will be held from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Sam Houston State University, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1901 Ave. I, Room 252.
There is no cost to attend, but registration by May 17 is required at https://tx.ag/May19Bats. Seating is limited. Participants are responsible for providing their own lunch.
Janet Hurley, AgriLife Extension senior program specialist for school integrated pest management, Dallas, said this is an event for anyone interested in learning more about bats, their habits, where they live and what to do if you encounter a bat in your home, work or school.
Parking is available on campus in the SHSU Coliseum Parking Garage at 820 Bowers Blvd. for a small fee or at metered street parking along Bobby K. Marks Drive.
The workshop is open to everyone, including animal control officers, professional sanitarians, veterinarians and veterinary technicians, law enforcement, school integrated pest management personnel and other staff, pest control staff, wildlife rehabilitators, and city or county officials.
Animal control officers, registered sanitarians and non-commercial applicators in public health can earn up to five hours of continuing education.
Living Near Bats topics and speakers
The program will discuss the following topics from experts across the state:
- Program Overview, Trestan Bryant, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, wildlife biologist, Conroe, and Jason Pierce, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, program administrator, Huntsville.
- Bat Biology, Local Species Identification, Bat Behavior, Nathan Fuller, Ph.D., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, state bat biologist, Kerrville.
- If I Find a Bat – Bat Exclusion from Buildings, How to Safely Catch and Remove, Dianne Odegard, Austin Bat Refuge, director and co-founder, Austin.
- Bat Updates: Possible Species Listings and White-nose Syndrome, Fuller.
- Regulations Affecting Bat Colonies and Removal Using Integrated Pest Management at Schools, Hurley.
- Histoplasmosis and Rabies: The Diseases, Local Epidemiology, Risk Assessment, Testing and Handling Human/Pet Exposures, Brendan Sullivan, DVM, MPH, zoonosis control veterinarian, Department of State Health Services, Public Health Region 6/5 South, Houston.
- Huntsville Bat Team, Texas Master Naturalist Friday Bat Chats, Bryant.
Hurley will have two video presentations: “Bats in Schools” and “Hey Kids! Don’t Touch That Bat.” There will also be three Q&A periods and breaks over the course of the day. Austin Bat Refuge will also have a booth at the event.
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