WV 2011 cave WNS survey

[George Dasher]

This is from Craig Stihler, of the WVDNR.

There are also attachments--which are of Craig's original letter and reporting form (and which may be out of order).




Hello,

The WV Division of Natural Resources and the US Fish and Wildlife Service appreciates the efforts other agencies and the caving community put into helping us gain information on White-Nose Syndrome through cave (and mine) entrance surveys in early 2010. We are again asking for your assistance with 2011 surveys. If you are willing to assist this winter, please see the attached forms.

There are two documents and each is attached in both Word document pdf formats. One document is a letter requesting assistance and includes the general survey protocol and a list of caves surveyed in 2010 and a few additional caves that would be good to survey this year; the other is the cave survey data sheet. If you know of caves with a large number of bats in the winter that is not on our list, by all means include those caves.

Please pass this information along to anyone who may be interested in conducting an entrance survey in West Virginia.

George Dasher – Could you post this on appropriate caver listservs again this year?

Thanks in advance.

Craig Stihler-WVDNR
Barb Douglas-USFWS

[Steve Pitts]

I have lots of bat and cave related volunteer work for the local Fish and Wildlife Service with the hopes that they would understand that the caving community belongs in caves. On a local level I think they understand. On a national level, they still don't get it. While they are asking for our help somebody in the office next door is writing up proposals to close all caves. If its not for WNS, then it is for recovery. Same end result. Cavers are the cause of the problem, but by the way, could you do our bat science for us?

[wyandottecaver]

I see little problem helping them gather data on caves they already know about. Just dont be silly enough to tell them about ones they DONT know about.