Cavechat.org

Is it hypocritical that we are closing a lot of caves but leaving open the caves that make $$$?

I wondered about commercial caves, but when I think about it, so many of them have doors or buildings on their entrances, that I don't think they have very many bats. Not all of them have doors, but many seem to.

I think its VERY hypocritical. My biggest problem with it is that this whole thing started right near Howes cavern in NY. One post I read said that Howes is actually the first place WNS seen. It seems to me that a commercial cave brings in tourists from all over the world. So who knows if it was a tourist unknowingly bringing in what ever it is that's causing this terrible disease? Its all about $$$$! If the government can bail out banks and car companies, why not bail out the commercial cave owners? At least they didn't screw themselves like the banks and car companies did.

Most commercial caves have a decent bat population. A far number have more than one entrance, although only one might be human sized.

Don't forget the government owns and operates a number of caves as well, including Mammoth and other national parks. Hypocritical? Our government?? Of course they are! Misguided, uninformed, overreaching and out of control as well.

Why isn't the Department of Homeland Security running the cave closures? We know they've got time on their hands as they've decided not to close the border with Mexico. We have more restrictions as cavers than the country has placed on the spread of something that kills people. Close the caves? Of course! Close the border? No, can't do that, that horse has left the barn. yada yada yada.

Squirrel Girl wrote:I wondered about commercial caves, but when I think about it, so many of them have doors or buildings on their entrances, that I don't think they have very many bats. Not all of them have doors, but many seem to.

That commercial cave operators are evicting bats from their natural environment is a wrong unto itself.