Bat infestation at Highland High poses questions of health and safety

SALT LAKE CITY — Everyone hopes that *all* the bats at Highland High School are now really gone.

Since mid-August, Division of Wildlife Resources officers have worked to get the bats out of the school. Because the types of bats are a protected species, the building cannot be fully exterminated, but efforts have been made to funnel the bats outside the building.

Though, students discovered two more bats on Tuesday. Both dead.

Lien Hoa is a cheerleader at Highland High School. She says she saw bats last year, then took videos during a mini cheer clinic last month of bats flying through the halls and crawling on the floors inside the school. Today she and the other members of the cheer squad say a dead bat appeared on the gym floor during practice.

“Everyone just starts talking about how there’s a dead bat on the floor and no one really knew exactly what to do with it,” Hoa said.

The Salt Lake City School District confirms two dead bats were found and “disposed of” on the day after Labor Day. They say the bats won’t be tested for rabies because no one came into close contact with them.

Hoa says she’s hopeful all of the bats are gone now.