Raccoons are nocturnal and normally would not contact students or staff. However, they should be removed from the facility as they can be physically destructive to the building. They can get into garbage and create a mess that is attractive for flies and other pests. Additionally, they can carry fleas, and there have been a few isolated cases where children have been bitten by raccoons. These are protected animals and can only be removed from a school by a specialist who is licensed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Squirrels can cause physical damage to a building and they carry fleas.
This will increase the possibility of a student coming in contact with one. These are protected animals and can only be removed by a specialist who is licensed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Although bats are nocturnal and are beneficial in their feeding on night-flying insects, they can pose some problems for a school. If they are allowed to roost in a building for a long time, the accumulation of bat droppings can become a health hazard, and can cause physical damage to the building. If a sick bat on the playground is handled by a student, there could be a serious health problem.