Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. The virus is secreted in saliva and is usually transmitted to people and pets by a bite from an infected animal. Once the outward signs of the disease appear, rabies is nearly always fatal. Once the rabies virus enters the body, it travels along the nerves to the brain. Animals with rabies may show a variety of signs, including fearfulness, aggression, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, staggering, paralysis and seizures. Aggressive behavior is common, but rabid animals may also be uncharacteristically affectionate.
There is no treatment once the clinical signs of rabies appear.
Unfortunately, rabies infection of an animal can only be confirmed after death, through microscopic examination of the animal’s brain.
Most of the relatively few human cases in the United States have resulted from exposures to bats.
Remember that rabies is entirely preventable through vaccination. All mammals are susceptible to the rabies virus.
That being said…..
Bats are an important species that impact our daily lives in ways we might not even realize. Bats are heroes of the night!
Bats can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes an hour and often consume their body weight in insects every night, helping keep bug populations in check.
Some bats hibernate in caves through the cold winter months and can survive freezing temperatures, even after being encased in ice.
Without bats, say goodbye to bananas, avocados and mangoes. Over 300 species of fruit depend on bats for pollination. Bats help spread seeds for nuts, figs and cacao -- the main ingredient in chocolate. Without bats, we also wouldn’t have plants like agave or the iconic saguaro cactus.
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