Fungus serious threat to North American bats

[NZcaver]

For those who haven't seen this, there is now a page on the DC grotto website which shows a chronologic listing of press releases related to White Nose Syndrome.

http://www.caves.org/grotto/dcg/white-nose.html

[NZcaver]

NEWS FLASH!

Tomorrow night (Friday, February 15) there will be a short item on White Nose Syndrome featured on the Fox Report. This is shown nationwide on the Fox News Channel, NOT the regular Fox channel.

This report features Al Hicks and some members of the Northeastern Cave Conservancy.

[wyandottecaver]

NZ thanks for the DC grotto site. I was unaware of the mexico abstract.

[NZcaver]

There is a question I would like to be clear on....

These caves, mines, and other locations where the white-nose syndrome has been found...

Are there dead bats (littering the floor) or are the bats "missing?"

11,000 dead bats should equal a lot of dead bodies...

I found the reference at last! See the following information from Al Hicks:

Unusual mortality events were detected at four hibernacula in New York between early March and late April 2007. Bat carcasses and parts of carcasses were estimated to number in the thousands within Hailes Cave where this years winter survey count of 7,296 live bats was 47% of the 2005 survey total. At Schoharie Cavern, 125 carcasses were found and the survey count of 478 live bats was 36% of the 2006 total. The number of carcass collected at Knox Cave (125) and Gages Cave (805) represent 20% and 83% respectively of the most recent winter counts.

From http://www.caves.org/grotto/dcg/wns-hicks2.html

[NZcaver]

More information just in this evening from Peter Youngbaer of the Vermont Cavers Association (posted with permission):

"I accompanied Scott Darling (Vermont state bat biologist) and one of his staffers (Joel) up to the Mt. Aeolus Bat Cave today (snowmobile and snowshoes). Here is Scott's report, which pretty much says it all:

"Aeolus displayed the now-standard characteristics of an affected cave. Bats were flying just outside the entrance, dead bats were observed on the snow, and many clusters of bats were gathered near the entrance. Once inside the gate, we observed at least twice as many bats in Guano Hall as usual. In all, an estimated 50 bats exhibited various intensities of the fungus.

Bats were flying periodically though, and many of the clusters looked normal to me. There is no doubt; however, that WNS is present."

I would add that we saw an estimated 2500 bats in the entrance Guano Hall and the next room and anterooms. We counted over 85 bats outside the gate. Without effort, we saw probably 20-30 corpses on the ground, plus many frozen and emaciated/dehydrated bats hanging near the gate, inside and out."

Mt Aeolus Bat Cave is currently the longest surveyed cave in the New England states, and is a major bat hibernaculum owned by The Nature Conservancy. Note that this cave has been closed to cavers for several years. It was re-gated in the Fall of 2004, the old gate being replaced with a large bat gate about 30 feet inside the cave which is practically impenetrable to unauthorized humans.

[tncaver]

Mt Aeolus Bat Cave is currently the longest surveyed cave in the New England states, and is a major bat hibernaculum owned by The Nature Conservancy. Note that this cave has been closed to cavers for several years. It was re-gated in the Fall of 2004, the old gate being replaced with a large bat gate about 30 feet inside the cave which is practically impenetrable to unauthorized humans.

This would appear to indicate that cavers are not spreading the disease in this cave since they have not been allowed in
the cave for several years.
TNcaver.

[hewhocaves]

So that brings the total up to 10 infected sites? I think that the tally I currently have.

Has any checking of the caves in the Adirondacks been done? Or is that too far?

John

[Michael Chu]

There's a new article on WNS by the associated press at http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Bat-Die-Off.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Regarding caves in the Adirondacks -- I took a trip to Eagle Cave (Chimney Mtn) in mid-October and did not notice anything unusal then. We weren't specifically looking for WNS at the time, but did not see any bats in unusal locations near the entrances. There didnt seem to be as many bats in the main bat area (the "Bat Room") as some previous years, but it wasnt a huge difference. I don't know where Eagle Cave ranks in the Adirondacks, but would think that it has one of the larger bat populations as far as natural caves go.

Mike

[wyandottecaver]

yes, unfortunately it does appear to be fairly conclusive that even if humans CAN transport the disease (still quite possible either way), it also has an alternate method of transport (probably bats themselves). Which means next year will likely be pretty grim indeed.

[wyandottecaver]

Anyone know what the current "best guess" for bat populations at Mt Aeolos are?

a 2004 TNC article (that mentions NZ) states the Mt Aeolus site contains upwards of 20,000 bats, a vermont bat survey report from 2001 list a maximum survey population at 3,000 (with one estimate of 300,000 in the 60's using a different technique and assumptions of implied population). Apparently much of the cave is accessible to bats but not people and it is speculated that the actual vs observed populations may be much different.

In any event, the cave is listed as having 2 different species that are of special concern including the Indiana, and small footed bats.

It seems that this would impact at least 3,000 bats and very possibly tens of thousands!

[Cheryl Jones]

Pass the word --- There are two quick ways to find the WNS info page, read all the info and see latest updates.

---There is a link on the NSS home page to the excellent DC Grotto White-Nose Syndrome update page. Thanks to Gary Bush for doing this.

---Additionally, Wayne has the included link in an announcement posted at the top of this Everything Bats section.

[ron_miller]

Bat Conservation International has created a Fund for White Nose Syndrome Research to assist in their cooperative research program with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Donating to this fund is a great way to show that cavers actually care about cave ecosystems, and to help in the research effort to discover the cause of this unprecedented die-off.

Click here to go directly to the WNS fund donation page.

Below is the BCI press release; a brief description of the Fund's purpose is at the end of the article.

Disease Killing Bats
Posted: 2/13/2008

Scientists are trying to identify a mysterious malady that has killed thousands of hibernating bats in New York and Vermont. The disease is being called “white-nose syndrome,” because an unidentified fungus appears around the muzzle of some affected bats. Researchers are working to identify the fungus, although they do not know whether it is causing or contributing to the deaths or is merely a symptom of another problem.

Describing the bat deaths as “an unprecedented die-off,” the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is working with state biologists and wildlife officials in New York and Vermont to understand the nature of this threat to several bat species, including endangered Indiana myotis. No human impacts have been reported.

White-nose syndrome was first reported last winter in New York, where it apparently was associated with the deaths of more than 8,000 hibernating bats. This past winter, the USFWS says, the disease was again found at the same caves and mines, as well as in several others sites in New York and Vermont.

USFWS says the outbreak is especially disturbing because these bats congregate each winter by the thousands and tens of thousands to hibernate in caves and mines, where the disease could spread. Each spring, the bats disperse and migrate to summer roosts that might be hundreds of miles away.

Because it is not known how the disease spreads, the Fish and Wildlife Service is asking cavers in New York and Vermont to avoid entering caves and mines until more information is available. Cavers are also urged to clean and decontaminate all gear between trips in order to minimize transmission of the unknown agent.

In addition to Indiana myotis, white-nose syndrome has been reported among little brown bats, eastern pipistrelles and northern long-eared bats.

Scientists are examining dead bats in hopes of discovering the cause of death, which is needed to determine how the disease is spread and how it might be prevented. Others researchers are documenting the geographic extent of the outbreak and details of its impact and spread.

You can help with this crucial scientific effort by contributing to Bat Conservation International’s Fund for White-Nose Syndrome Research . BCI is working closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help find solutions to this critical problem.

Donate Here

[Tadpole]

Check out the report on msnbc

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23169737/wid/18298287/

[LauraHohman]

Funding for “White-Nose Syndrome” of hibernating bats

As you are probably aware “White-nose Syndrome” is acting on bats
in some caves in New York and Vermont. It has killed several thousand
bats, mostly little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and Indiana bats (Myotis
sodalis), although northern bats (Myotis septentrionalis) and at least
one eastern pipistrelle (Perimyotis subflavus) have been infected as
well. White-nose syndrome has the potential to have really bad long
term effects on bat populations. At this time the causative agent is
unknown, but is under investigation. We do not know if the fungus is
killing the bats or if the fungus is a secondary infection and there are
other factors affecting the bats. It is of course very important to
determine the specific species of this fungus and other possible causal
agents and how the bats are affected. It seems clear that considerable
cost may be involved for study and control.

Virgil Brack and Environmental Solutions and Innovations, Inc. have put
up $10,000 for use in study and control of white-nose syndrome and we
have already received promise of a match of another $10,000. Funding
will be dispersed by a committee chaired by Al Hicks.

The Indiana State University Bat Center has offered to serve as a
facility to collect donations and other funding to help fight this
disease. Therefore, any of you that wish to donate for this cause,
please send check (payable to ISU Foundation/ Bat Center) or your pledge
to:

John O. Whitaker, Jr.
Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation
Department of Ecology and Organismal Biology
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN 47809

Please feel free to pass this message along to anyone you think would
be interested in fighting white-nose syndrome.

Brianne L. Walters
Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation
Department of Ecology and Organismal Biology
Indinana State University
Terre Haute, IN 47809

[wyandottecaver]

so it appears that we have at least two publicly competing organizations for funding WNS research.
1) Bat Conservation International based in TX
2) Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation based in IN

I have no doubt that behind the scenes an even more complex bidding war is going on for Federal monies!

I had heard the NSS had put up some money as well. Does the NSS currently have a mechanisim for members to give to the NSS and specify money towards WNS? (If not we should!) We could then let the considerable talents and experiance of the NSS professional volunteers help guide our contribution choices.