Mississippi State University is working to eliminate a bat infestation in Hathorn Hall.
Sid Salter, director of University Relations, said it is difficult to estimate how many bats are in the residence hall, but that MSU considers even one bat to be too many.
Salter said the Department of Housing and Residence Life offered to place Hathorn Hall residents in different campus housing locations if the residents felt uncomfortable.
There have been requests to be relocated, Salter said.
“Parents and students have been advised that the university is doing everything possible under the restraints of federal law to get the problem under control,” Salter said. “Any time our students are uncomfortable or frightened is serious business to the university. That’s why Student Affairs, (the Department of Housing and Residence Life) and basically every university asset has been thrown in at dealing with this problem.”
Some species of bats are protected under federal law as part of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, Salter said, so MSU must follow specific protocols while trying to remove the bats.
“We can’t go in and use chemicals or things of that nature,” he said. “Primarily what has to be done is figure out points of entrance where bats are going in the building and fitting the entries with devices that allow bats to leave and not reenter.”
The bats first appeared during the last two weeks of January, Salter said. The problem is improving, but he said it might takes weeks to completely rid Hathorn Hall of bats.
Salter said trained personnel walks through Hathorn Hall daily to gauge the situation, and residents are encouraged to report any bat sightings to their resident advisers.
The Reflector will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.