Dozens of bats were removed from the Fifth Judicial District Courthouse in St. George. The colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats was discovered by courthouse employees who arrived to work on Thursday. A pest control company based in St. George removed the animals over a two-day span with about 50 bats being accounted for.
The bats were captured using careful methods and humane equipment, said Eric Palmer of Southwest Exterminators.
“It was just with all care and gentleness. We have a trap door set up so they can fly out but can’t fly back in. Then, there was a couple that were caught in an attic alcove,” he said. “Those guys were gently lifted up, brought over to Dixie Rock and released.”
The bats caused minimal disturbance to the regular court proceedings. However, some legal business was moved to another vicinity. According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the bats spend their summers throughout Utah before migrating to the southwestern United States and Mexico for the winter.
