Extermination of Bats

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Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)
Family:Vespertilionidae

In CO this species is most often found at higher elevations where less urbanization occurs (7,000 ft) but it is one of three species accounting for 73% of total submissions for rabies testing in CO (Pape et al. 1999).  Although the prevalence of rabies in LANO was low, the silver-haired bat-associated rabies virus is currently responsible for the majority of human deaths from rabies in the United States and Canada (Messenger et al. 2003), potentially leading to increased fear of disease in this species and possible persecution.