Ross River School dealing with bats, feces on school grounds

Yukon's Ross River School has been dealing with several bats nesting and defecating outside the school.

Bats have been living on the school for a few years, said Vice-Principal Pierce Butler. 

This past summer, concern from the community was sparked after a custodian found a dead bat in a classroom, he said.

"Finding the dead bat in the room … I think it just really brought it to the forefront," said Butler, who said the bat may have flown inside

Butler said bats nest on the outside of the building, leaving feces around the base of the school.

The Yukon government recently put up a fence around part of the school to keep children away from the bat droppings.

Shannon Trott, a director with Yukon's facilities management, said bats are a protected species. This means they can't touch or move the bats while they nest. 

However, Trott says the bats have now migrated south for the winter.

Butler says the school is still waiting for the government to do a pressure wash to get rid of the feces.

"I was hoping that would happen before the snow," said Butler.

He hopes to see an investigation soon into whether bats are inside the school walls or rafters.

Butler did not think bats are living inside the building or posing any danger to students. But he said community speculation will continue until they know for sure.

"I feel that if this was a situation that happened in [Whitehorse], maybe ... it would be a quicker process," he said.

Bat houses, wire mesh to prevent bats

Trott said the plan is to build "bat houses" to prevent the flying mammals from returning to the school. She said mesh was installed last year to keep bats out of the school, and they want to ensure it's still there.

"Bats always return to their home, so they will continue to go back to that location," said Trott. "We're just hoping we can entice them to go somewhere a little bit more convenient."

Trott said the bats are only on the exterior of the school, and have not made their way inside. 

The Yukon Party has been asking questions about the Ross River bats in the Legislative Assembly.

Minister of Highway and Public Works Richard Mostyn said Wednesday the department is using the school's $135,000 maintenance and material budget to deal with the issue.

Mostyn said the government is working with a local biologist.

Meanwhile, Butler said Ross River teachers are using bats as a "teachable moment."

He said he hasn't seen the bats —just their droppings—but noted teachers previously hearing scratching in the walls.

Butler said Ross River's distance from Whitehorse may slow down some department action.

"Rural schools … things tends to take longer to get done," he said. "Little bit worrisome and troubling sometimes."

Trott, however, said location is not an issue and that there is a department employee stationed in Ross River.

The Ross River School has dealt with building problems for the past 20 years, with calls to replace the building.

Trott said parts of the school were reinforced last winter.