A few of the performance spaces in Clemson University’s Brooks Center for the Performing Arts will be closed through May 15 to remove a colony of bats that have roosted in the building.
The Brooks Theater and the Bellamy Theatre will be the two performance spaces affected. The rest of the building will remain open and classes held in the building will continue.
As a result of the closing, several performances and events will have to be relocated, rescheduled, or cancelled. As information regarding the affected events becomes available, it will be shared with ticket-holders and will also be posted on the Brooks Center website and Clemson University social media channels. The Tiger has also compiled a list of April events and will post updates here.
According to a press release, several bats were spotted in the main theater earlier this week. Maintenance crews and a Clemson University wildlife expert investigated and confirmed evidence of bat activity. It is believed that a colony of bats has roosted in a theater wall.
The Brooks Center is working with wildlife experts to make sure that the bats are removed humanely and that any needed repairs and cleaning are addressed.
Officials say that a special apparatus has already been installed that will allow bats to exit the building, but not re-enter.
“The safety of our students, faculty, staff and patrons is our highest priority,” Richard E. Goodstein, dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities, said in a statement. “We are approaching this situation with an abundance of caution. With a suspected bat colony rather than a single stray, we want to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to protect the people of the university and the community from even the slightest health risk the bats’ presence might pose.”
Greg Yarrow, chair of Clemson University’s forestry and environmental conservation department, has identified the bats as free-tailed bats, according to the press release. Free-tailed bats have a low risk of carrying rabies. Yarrow said that increased bat activity is not unusual in the spring, as that is when bats are establishing maternal colonies after breeding.
This isn’t the first time that bats have taken up residence in a Clemson University building. Earlier this year, bats were spotted in the Hendrix Student Center.
University officials are reminding everyone to not interact with bats, as bats are protected under federal law and can carry rabies. Anyone who comes in direct contact with a bat should seek medical treatment.
If you see a bat inside a campus building, contact university officials; do not attempt to remove the bat yourself. If you are in a residence hall or student housing, you can contact University Housing at 864-656-5450. If you are in another campus building, contact CUPD at 864-656-2222.
