Some bats near Holter lake just outside of Helena have been acting strangely. Lewis and Clark Health Department spokesman Mike Henderson explains.

"This latest bat was acting strangely," said Henderson, "Not normal bat behavior, just sitting out in the parking lot during daylight hours. Generally, bats are nocturnal, so it was captured by a BLM employee and sent to the state lab for testing."

Testing revealed that the daylight bat and another bat were carriers of rabies, a potentially deadly disease. Henderson says the park will stay open and that all bats in Montana should be treated as if they carry rabies.

"Most bats don't have rabies, but what we'd like to do is warn people not to approach bats, and to think when they visit a campground and take their pets along, to make sure that their pets are up to date on their rabies vaccinations," said Henderson.

So far, no one has reported any people or pets being bitten by rabid bats this year near Holter lake

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