Bats, like humans, are mammals. There are over 900 species worldwide, and at least 18 are known to occur at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Bats have an undeserved reputation as undesirable creatures, largely due to the myth that all bats carry rabies and pose a danger to humans. In fact, bats are no more likely to contract rabies than any other mammal, and those that do usually do not live long enough to pass the disease onto other animals, except possibly another bat.
Bats are actually ecologically and economically very important to humans.
Some species pollinate plants, others disperse plant seeds, and still others consume vast quantities of bothersome insects such as mosquitoes and agricultural pests. In recent years, drastic reductions in bat populations have been documented worldwide. There are numerous reasons for these declines, including habitat destruction, pesticide use, deliberate extermination, and human disturbance. To remedy the situation, there has been a large effort to conserve bat populations and to educate the public and inform them that bats are valuable animals worthy of conservation. At Lake Mead, one of the biggest threats to bats is the trespass of humans into abandoned mine tunnels.