The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries advises the public that the Anti-Rabies Unit (ARU) has resumed night trapping exercises in the South-East and South-West quadrants of Trinidad as part of the national Vampire Bat Population Control Programme. The exercises commenced on March 9, 2026, and will continue throughout Trinidad on an ongoing basis.
The operations will be conducted primarily during the night hours, when vampire bats are most active. These activities form part of the Ministry’s ongoing surveillance and control efforts to reduce the risk of rabies transmission and protect the country’s livestock population.
Rabies is a serious viral and zoonotic disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals, including livestock, wildlife, and humans. In Trinidad, rabies is maintained primarily in the vampire bat population, which can transmit the virus to livestock through bites.
The Ministry encourages the cooperation of residents and farmers to ensure that ARU officers can effectively carry out their rabies vector control activities.
Any abnormal clinical signs or sudden deaths in livestock or evidence of bat attacks should be reported immediately to the Anti-Rabies Unit at 693-1682 or to the nearest County Veterinary Office.
The Ministry notes that the last bat trapping exercise was conducted in 2023, and the current exercise is part of ongoing efforts to ensure early detection, monitoring, and management of potential risks to the nation’s livestock sector. Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries commends the Animal Production and Health Division of the Ministry for the resumption of this critical initiative.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries remains committed to safeguarding the public and animal health and supporting farmers through continued surveillance, prevention, and response initiatives.