This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
St. George • Order is being restored to the courthouse in St. George with the removal of dozens of bats from the building.
The Brazilian free-tailed bats were discovered Thursday when employees arrived for work at the 5th District courthouse.
Eric Palmer of Southwest Exterminators told The Spectrum of St. George that over 50 bats were removed Thursday and Friday from the attic and other areas of the building.
Court officials say while the bats caused minimal disruptions in court operations, some proceedings had to be moved from one courtroom to another.
Officials say suspected entry points opened up during a recent renovation were sealed to prevent bats from entering the building.
Because Brazilian free-tailed bats are a species of special concern in Utah, they were released back into the wild.