Mark Twain National Forest closes caves to 2016
Posted: Jun 8, 2011 2:06 pm
(I have excised parts of this news release to avoid spreading the same old tired lies. I do have to post the cave closure information for my paper. - Jo)
ROLLA, Mo. -- Mark Twain National Forest will continue to keep its caves closed to the public through April 2016.
Geomyces destructans, the fungus responsible for White Nose Syndrome, has now been detected in Missouri. White Nose Syndrome has not yet been confirmed in the state.
Mark Twain National Forest first closed caves to the public April 2009, then continued the closure for another year in 2010.
Mark Twain National Forest is home to more than 600 caves. Missouri is home to 14 kinds of bats, many of them living in caves, some on the endangered species list.
Forest Service biologist, Theresa Davidson, said bats are important to ecosystems because they eat millions of insects every night and their loss in record numbers could have major impacts on natural communities.
In addition to giving scientists more time to study what causes White Nose Syndrome, Davidson said closing the caves allows bats to hibernate undisturbed.
Disturbances during hibernation can cause bats to wake up and lose fat that they need to get through the hibernation period, increasing their already high mortality rate.
“Our objective is to minimize exposure of bat populations to any clothing or equipment that may be carrying the fungus responsible for White Nose Syndrome,” said Mark Twain National Forest Supervisor Dave Whittekiend. “We appreciate the public’s support in staying out of caves to help bats survive.”
Mark Twain National Forest is the largest public land manager in Missouri with 1.5 million acres in 29 counties in southern and central Missouri. Mark Twain National Forest’s mission is to continue to restore Missouri’s great outdoors and maintain a healthy, working forest.
For more information about Mark Twain National Forest, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf
ROLLA, Mo. -- Mark Twain National Forest will continue to keep its caves closed to the public through April 2016.
Geomyces destructans, the fungus responsible for White Nose Syndrome, has now been detected in Missouri. White Nose Syndrome has not yet been confirmed in the state.
Mark Twain National Forest first closed caves to the public April 2009, then continued the closure for another year in 2010.
Mark Twain National Forest is home to more than 600 caves. Missouri is home to 14 kinds of bats, many of them living in caves, some on the endangered species list.
Forest Service biologist, Theresa Davidson, said bats are important to ecosystems because they eat millions of insects every night and their loss in record numbers could have major impacts on natural communities.
In addition to giving scientists more time to study what causes White Nose Syndrome, Davidson said closing the caves allows bats to hibernate undisturbed.
Disturbances during hibernation can cause bats to wake up and lose fat that they need to get through the hibernation period, increasing their already high mortality rate.
“Our objective is to minimize exposure of bat populations to any clothing or equipment that may be carrying the fungus responsible for White Nose Syndrome,” said Mark Twain National Forest Supervisor Dave Whittekiend. “We appreciate the public’s support in staying out of caves to help bats survive.”
Mark Twain National Forest is the largest public land manager in Missouri with 1.5 million acres in 29 counties in southern and central Missouri. Mark Twain National Forest’s mission is to continue to restore Missouri’s great outdoors and maintain a healthy, working forest.
For more information about Mark Twain National Forest, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/mtnf