A bat dies alone.

Ooh, it makes my blood boil. You know how I feel about bats.

When the Times published this article in April, I couldn’t write about it for a while. Too upset. Perhaps you’re thinking, what, is she going to blame DWP for a rabid bat, too? Why yes, I am.

Griffith Park visitors found a bat which the rangers turned in, killed and then tested for rabies. (This is how they test animals for rabies. Kill first, ask questions later.) This was an informative article, thanks, but not great. What would have been more helpful would have been linking this quote from Mr. Tuttle:

Many bats can’t drink unless they have fairly substantial “swoop” zones — open bodies of water that allow them to drink in flight, Tuttle said. Reservoirs and swimming pools can draw bats because they make good open-water drinking sites.

to the fact that Silver Lake, only a mile or 2 from the the picnic grounds, and the only body of water to match his description, had already been without water for weeks. (Because DWP would NOT refill the drained lake for 3 months, even though it only took a few days to clean it.)

The bat’s last thoughts were probably similar to mine: Please, God, don’t let me die alone in the picnic area of Griffith Park.

Rest in peace.