Why You Should Never Touch a Bat in Australia

In July 2025, a man from northern New South Wales passed away from a suspected case of Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV). It was the fourth known human fatality from this virus in Australia’s recorded history. While incredibly rare, the outcome is nearly always the same once symptoms appear. And it’s preventable.

As wildlife carers, we often see the best of human compassion – people wanting to help injured animals, doing their best with little more than a towel, a torch, and a good heart. But when it comes to bats, even the smallest scratch can have devastating consequences.

What is Australian Bat Lyssavirus?

Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV) is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can be passed from animals to humans. It was first identified in 1996 in a black flying fox from Queensland, and has since been detected in various bat species across Australia.

ABLV is genetically and clinically similar to the rabies virus. It attacks the central nervous system and, like rabies, is nearly always fatal once symptoms begin. There is no known cure.

All Australian bat species are considered potential carriers, including:

Flying foxes (megabats, large fruit-eating species)
Microbats (tiny insectivorous bats, including species found right here in Tasmania)

Even small scratches from a microbat carry the same risks as bites from a flying fox.

Despite this, bats remain a crucial part of our environment. They’re pollinators, seed dispersers, and natural pest controllers. They aren’t villains, they’re simply wildlife. And like all wild animals, they must be approached with care, understanding, and training.

How is ABLV Transmitted?

ABLV is found in the saliva and nervous system tissue of infected bats. Transmission to humans typically occurs through:

Bites from an infected bat
Scratches, particularly when saliva contacts broken skin
Contact with mucous membranes (e.g. eyes, nose, or mouth)

You cannot tell if a bat is infected just by looking at it. Some may appear disoriented, aggressive, or weak, while others seem completely healthy.

The virus has a variable incubation period and can take weeks or even months for symptoms to develop. This means a person may not even realise they’ve been exposed until it’s far too late.

Once symptoms appear (such as fever, headache, muscle weakness, confusion, or paralysis) the disease progresses rapidly and is almost always fatal.

What the Research Tells Us

ABLV has been identified in both megabats and microbats across Queensland, New South Wales, and other parts of Australia.
Less than 1% of wild bats are estimated to carry the virus at any one time. However, the risk is serious enough that every bite or scratch is treated as a potential exposure.
A 2007 study published in the Medical Journal of Australia confirmed that ABLV had been found in several species, including those not previously suspected, expanding the known range and reinforcing the need for precaution.
Post-exposure treatment, if started early, is highly effective. But once symptoms develop, there is no cure.

Flying fox hanging upside down in a leafy tree, captured in a wildlife blog to support education about Australian Bat Lyssavirus and bat safety awareness

Close-up of a flying fox hanging upside down while eating fruit, used to highlight the importance of trained wildlife care and safety around bats

Why the Public Should Never Handle Bats

Every year, wildlife rescue organisations receive calls about bats trapped in fruit netting, found grounded on footpaths, hanging low in trees, or even flying inside homes.

Many members of the public understandably want to help. They try using towels, gloves, or clothing to contain the bat, not realising how serious the risk can be.

Even a tiny scratch that breaks the skin can be fatal.

What’s more, the stress of untrained handling can harm the bat as well—causing wing damage, shock, or even death.

Only vaccinated wildlife carers and veterinarians, trained in safe handling techniques, should ever attempt to assist a bat. Even among professionals, protocols are strict, and exposures are taken seriously.

What Should You Do if You Find a Bat?

If you find a bat that appears sick, injured, or trapped:

Do not touch it. Even if it seems calm or unable to fly.
Keep children and pets well away. Curious dogs and cats are often scratched or bitten.
Call for help immediately. In Tasmania, contact Bonorong Wildlife Rescue on 0447 264 625 or Wild Island Rescue directly. On the mainland, contact your local wildlife group, vet, or WIRES.
If someone is bitten or scratched, immediately:
- Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least five minutes
- Apply antiseptic
- Seek urgent medical attention

Early intervention with post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a course of rabies immunoglobulin and vaccine can be life-saving.

What About Bats in Tasmania?

Tasmania is home to eight species of microbats, including the large forest bat and Gould’s wattled bat. These tiny, insect-eating mammals often roost in tree hollows, buildings, and sheds.

ABLV has not been detected in Tasmanian bats – yet. But that doesn’t mean we’re immune. As with all zoonotic diseases, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Why Bats Matter

It’s important to remember that the issue is not the bats themselves. It is how we, as humans, choose to interact with them. Most negative outcomes arise not because bats are dangerous, but because people intervene without the right knowledge, training, or protection.

Bats are essential to healthy ecosystems. They pollinate native plants, disperse seeds across vast distances, and play a major role in insect control. A single microbat can consume hundreds of mosquitoes in a single hour, helping to keep insect populations in balance. Flying foxes are among Australia’s most important long-distance pollinators, carrying seeds and pollen between forests and across fragmented landscapes—sometimes over 40 kilometres in a single night.

Beyond their ecological role, bats are also intelligent, social, and sensitive creatures. They live in complex family groups, communicate using high-frequency calls, and show problem-solving behaviour in the wild. Despite this, they are often misunderstood and wrongly feared, largely because of myths and misinformation.

When we replace fear with understanding, and protect both bats and ourselves through respectful distance and safe protocols, we are supporting not just conservation—but community health too. A healthy relationship with our wildlife benefits everyone.