A straw colored fruit bat from Africa hangs on a fence at the Organization for Bat Conservation office in Haslett. The group works to correct popular misconceptions about the animals. Actually they are small, gentle mammals. They are nonaggressive, and will not bite you unless they are defending themselves. Many even have good eyesight.
Bats live in dead or aging trees, near swamps or other water sources.
But bat population numbers are declining. The group educates the public about bats, their benefits to humans and the ecosystem through programs and seminars. If one gets inside, don't panic. And if a bat gets in your home, remember it is flying around not to attack you, but to find a way to get out. Deborah Davis Locker is a Metro Detroit free-lance writer.