Thousands of bats invade Missouri school gym
FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. -- A large colony of bats has taken up residence in an elementary school gym in Fredericktown, Missouri, reports CBS affiliate KFVS.
The superintendent at Fredericktown Schools told KFVS what originally was thought to be just a few bats turned out to be thousands. District leaders are now working to try and get the unwanted creatures out.
Elementary School Principal Joe Clauser said evidence inside the gym shows that the problem didn't just pop up overnight.
"They've probably been in there for some time," he said.
The bats worked their way inside through tiny holes reports KFVS. Clauser said while they have been aware of the problem for a while now, it has gotten increasingly worse.
"They were above the ceiling," he said. "This is the first time we have seen them below the ceiling."
A maintenance worker snapped a picture of the bats. A bat removal specialist came to take a look.
"He said what he saw looked more like thousands of bats," Clauser said.
Soon after, parents received a letter explaining that the gym would be closed.
"I was surprised. I don't think we've ever had a bat problem in our school," said Kelsi Tinsley, a mother of two boys who attend the school.
Clauser says removing the bats and cleaning up after them could be a lengthy process.
"What he's going to do is plug the holes that are existing in the building," he explained. "He will put in some exclusionary devices, which will allow the bats to go out at night but they won't be able to go back in."
In the meantime, students will be going outdoors for P.E. class. And in the case of rain, they will be using extra classroom space.
"So, we will be able to keep them active, they won't be sitting," Clauser said.
KFVS reports that district leaders said they are going to also have some preventative work done just to make sure the bat problem does not spread.