Little Brown Bat with White Nose Syndrome, Greeley Mine (Credit: US Fish & Wildlife Service)

Research continues into the potential causes and remedies for White-Nose Syndrome, a dangerous and highly virulent infection afflicting bat species across the United States and Canada. The disease, which some scientists have speculated may be caused by Geomyces fungi, can be diagnosed by the presence of a characteristic white fungal growth on bats’ faces, legs, wings, or backs.

The disease was first discovered in February 2006 by cavers at Howe Cavern – a site about 34 miles west of Albany, New York – and spread quickly throughout the northeastern U.S. and Canada. By 2009, it had been identified in more than 9 states and two Canadian provinces with a mortality count of more than 1 million bats.

White-Nose Syndrome, which has exhibited up to 100% mortality in bat populations, is known to be spread by bat and human movements between caves; to limit transmission, hundreds of caving sites have been closed across the U.S., and cavers are being asked to disinfect all gear between every site visit. (Learn more about the new caving protocols from the National Speleological Society’s WNS website here.)

Understanding White-Nose Syndrome

White-Nose Syndrome strikes bat species indiscriminately, but has thus far has had the greatest effect on populations of the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), once among the most populous bat species in the U.S. Scientists now fear that Myotis could face extinction within the next 15 years if current trends in WNS spread continue.

The genus of fungus thought to be at the heart of WNS, Geomyces, is endemic to caves in western Europe, but recent research has demonstrated that it exhibits low mortality rates on the continent. This suggests that European bats may have an established a physiological or behavioral immunity to the fungus not yet present in American populations. (See the full CDC report here.)

Bats infected with WNS manifest few symptoms for up to 24 months; high rates of mortality appear in the 3^rd and 4^th years of affliction. Reports of cave floors “littered with dead bats” began in 2006, indicating that the fungus may have been introduced as early as 2004.

Precautions & Regulations

Amid concerns that cavers may inadvertently spread WNS, the US Fish & Wildlife Society has presented new caving protocols through the National Speleological Society. These can be found and downloaded here.

Learn More

To learn more about WNS, its spread, and how to help:

• U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Fact Sheet
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service WNS Fact Sheet
• Bat Conservation International’s WNS website, including a map of the disease spread.

Urgent Update: Cave Sites Closed in Rocky Mountain Region as WNS Spreads Westward

An emergency order issued by the US Forest Service on 27 July 2010 initiates a one-year closure of all caves and abandoned mine sites throughout National Forests & Grasslands in the Rocky Mountain Region of the US Forest Service. The temporary order, issued by Regional Deputy Forester Tony Dixon, has been made in response to the discovery of White-nose Syndrome in bat populations within 300 miles of the Pike and San Isobel National Forests in Colorado. Read the full text of the USFS Press Release here.

Alexandra Sutton US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife disease, wildlife conservation bats, disease, white-nose syndrome, wildlife conservation

Going green is supposed to be good for the environment, unless you’re a bat.

Researchers are investigating the deaths of bats around wind farms where some of the dead animals show no signs of injury. But it’s not just bats that seem to be having problems with the farms.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Darryl Walter Animal behavior, wildlife conservation bats, bird research, conservation education, habitat protection

Dear ABS Members and others concerned

As mentioned, the situation is now absolutely desperate for the Christmas Island Pipistrelle. Thank you to everyone who has already written letters and correspondence to the various authorities – it has made a difference and things are progressing. Unfortunately the progress is agonisingly slow and we fear that by the time action does occur it will almost certainly be too late.

We again ask all of you to please give some of your time by writing another letter demanding immediate action. We have provided a template letter below that you may either copy directly, or edit to write your own letter. Insert YOUR details as well as the RECIPIENTS details. Email or post it to both:

The Honourable Peter Garrett
Minister for the Environment
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Peter.Garrett.MP@aph.gov.au

Mr Peter Cochrane
Director of National Parks
Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601
peter.cochrane@environment.gov.au

Forward this email to all of your colleagues and friends urging them to do the same. For anyone who receives this email who is unfamiliar with the desperate plight of the Christmas Island Pipistrelle, please click here http://batcall.csu.edu.au/abs/ChristmasIsland/PipistrellusmurrayiJan_09.htm

Damian

==================================================

[RECIPIENTS NAME]
[RECIPIENTS ADDRESS}

Dear [RECIPIENTS NAME]

The Christmas Island Pipistrelle is almost extinct. I am alarmed that a captive breeding colony has not yet been established on Christmas Island. The Australian Government was informed back in January of three things: 1. that there may be less than 20 individuals remaining; 2. that without intervention the Christmas Island Pipistrelle would become extinct within months, possibly weeks; and 3. that to prevent extinction, an immediate rescue mission to capture the remaining individuals and set up a temporary captive colony on Christmas Island must be initiated. WHY HASN’T THIS BEEN DONE?

The advice provided by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee regarding keeping and breeding microbats was WRONG. Keeping microbats in captivity is routine. There are skilled handlers and rehabilitators in zoos, wildlife hospitals and institutions both in Australia and throughout the world that care for and breed microbats in captivity. Therefore the trial program on the closely related Pipistrellus westralis is completely unnecessary and, worse still, a waste of critical time.

Please provide funding to send a rescue team to Christmas Island IMMEDIATELY. Every day that this is delayed reduces the chance of catching enough of the remaining Pipistrelles to establish a viable breeding population on Christmas Island. Dedicated and highly experienced microbat specialists and carers are ready to go to Christmas Island at a moments notice. Please give them the opportunity to save the Christmas Island Pipistrelle.

Do not allow the preventable extinction of an Australian native mammal species to become a legacy of my generation.
Yours sincerely

[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR ADDRESS]

shannon Policy, endangered species Australia, bats, Christmas Island Pipistrelle