SOMETHING SINISTER IN THE BATCAVE

We received an email this evening from a chap called George Clappison asking us whether we had heard about something called `white nose syndrome` which has been described as the greatest threat ever to bat populations in parts of the United States.

We had, vaguely, but sent Max Blake to investigate further..

Something wicked this way comes. Every so often, an infection or disease comes along, spreads like wildfire and decimates its host species. Examples include the transferable cancer which affects Tasmanian Devils, and this, White Nose Syndrome, a fungal disease attacking bats, whose effects include white fungal growth around the nose area, and death, probably from starvation. Pups are falling more often from the cave roof where WNS is in residence, adding further numbers to the total. New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts are currently the six US states affected by the fungus. The death percentages in different sites vary from 80-100% mortality, a horrific total. A number of bat species are affected, including the Indiana bat, which is protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Scientists have no idea if the fungus is transferred by bats, or by people; that little is known about it. It could be being transferred by cavers, but this is not certain. Spring and summer are the prime times for bat activity: these states will have an absence of bats twittering in the sky. Good news for flying arthropods though I guess...

This is the government website responding to WNS

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html


This is the National Speleological Society website regarding WNS

http://www.caves.org/WNS/WNS%20Info.htm