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White-Nose Syndrome Bat Disease: Fungus Could Threaten Existence Of Two Species

By DINA CAPPIELLO   06/28/11 04:34 PM ET   AP

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Whitenose Syndrome Bat Disease Fungus

WASHINGTON -- A devastating fungus that has killed off caves full of bats could soon be blamed for threatening the very existence of two bat species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Tuesday that it was launching a 90-day investigation into whether the eastern small-footed bat and the northern long-eared bat need protection under the Endangered Species Act. The two species are the first to be evaluated – and would be the first to be classified as endangered and threatened – because of white-nose syndrome.

Since its discovery in 2006, the deadly disease – named for the sugary smudges it leaves on noses and wings – has killed more than one million cave-dwelling bats.

State and federal agencies have taken steps to halt its spread, including barring people from caves.

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WASHINGTON -- A devastating fungus that has killed off caves full of bats could soon be blamed for threatening the very existence of two bat species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Tuesday t...
WASHINGTON -- A devastating fungus that has killed off caves full of bats could soon be blamed for threatening the very existence of two bat species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Tuesday t...
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Debbie338
What we manifest is before us
239 Fans
03:58 PM on 06/29/2011
Bats save us millions of dollars in insecticide costs, not to mention exposure to insecticides. If our bats go, the rest of the ecosystem won't be far behind.

Please support White-Nose Research at Bat Conservation International.
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Deep Thinking Man
Always Remember, A Wet Bird Never Flies At Night !
1156 Fans
03:57 PM on 06/29/2011
State and federal agencies have taken steps to halt its spread, including barring people from caves.



keeping people out of the caves to prevent the spreading of this fungus ????...ok, what steps are they taking to stop the spread of the fungus ???...bats have to fly to eat !!!!!!...contamination all over again, and again, and again, etc. etc. etc. !!!!!!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Roadrun
Question Authority
1060 Fans
08:00 AM on 06/30/2011
WNS gets to them in their caves while they are hibernating. WNS itches and wakes them up when their bugs aren't out and they can't eat. The bats end up itching and starving to death.

Without bats we would be up to our ears in the bugs they eat. Bats are critical to humans even if not so many people know it.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
kevman08
41 Fans
12:47 PM on 06/29/2011
Bats are one of the most environmentally sensitive creatures on the planet and they are good hunters of insects as well as food for some falcon species. They should already be protected.
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mlaiuppa
Pres. Sarcasm Society. Like we need your approval.
880 Fans
11:10 PM on 06/28/2011
We've known about this for five years. It's not new news. And the government is sure dragging it's feet.

Bat may not be cute and cuddly but the are an extremely important part of our ecosystem. We can't afford to just let them die off.
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AlpineSkier
Progress?
53 Fans
10:12 PM on 06/28/2011
From what I've seen, this certainly threatens more than just two of the North American bat species.It is moving westward quickly and is probably going to have a more than profound impact on all cave bats. http://www.fort.usgs.gov/wns/
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AJH
375 Fans
11:17 PM on 06/28/2011
handy link, looks like a major question will be if the non-hibernating bats of the osuthwest are susceptible or not.

And if the hibernation energy theory is correct if there was any way to increase domestic food supply utilizing native species during winter.
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AJH
375 Fans
08:00 PM on 06/28/2011
Ok what causes the fungus? Seems a relevant unanswered question.
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mlaiuppa
Pres. Sarcasm Society. Like we need your approval.
880 Fans
11:11 PM on 06/28/2011
They're working on that. Right now they're trying to contain it's spread.

It's like the cause of bee colony collapse. They're working on it. The question is, are they working fast enough to make a difference to the survival of the bats and bees, both of which are really important to crop pollination.
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blurredmolly
Was you ever bit by a dead bee?
1502 Fans
09:05 AM on 06/29/2011
Maybe ask Monsanto.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
kevman08
41 Fans
12:49 PM on 06/29/2011
Definitely a good place to start, maybe see if some insects are infected with monsanto's round up ready seeds and herbicides
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