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Batgirl wrote:From everything I have read and every bat biologist I have spoken too, treating the fungus is possible, but there is no current way to treat the animals without risking the cave ecosystem. Right now, this is the best shot we've got. I spent the day yesterday attending the Annual TN Bat Working group meeting. In that room were many bat biologists and academics working on WNS. Every one was in support, including folks from BCI. If they think this is a project worth perusing, then I will support it.
Let me also add that there is precedent for this. It has and is still working today for mexican free tails.
http://www.bambergerranch.org/news/bats.phtml
Dr_Beaner wrote:The idea of an artificial Tennessee bat cave to be used for research has potential to be a way to help with certain aspects of understanding WNS. However I have many issues with the rather foggy details on exactly how science proposes to use this facility for WNS. I wonder as well what other motivations may be behind this effort. The design sketches and visualizations of the structure show no provision for such basic needs as guano removal, monitoring equipment, or other important details needed in a facility proposed to study bats. Without a focused plan on what the structure is going to be used for, what scientific experiments will take place, what the goals of said experiments are, and what the risks are it is difficult to be enthused about such a grand scheme costing a quarter of a million dollars to build.
Getting a grant to build this is the easy part. One then has to plan, fund and execute the science that will make the entire project worthwhile. Time is of the essence. All of this must be done quickly else WNS will have taken too much of a toll on the bats. So far all I have seen is a simple basic plan based on getting Pepsi to fund it. I wonder if there are enough resources to adequately plan and execute the science quickly and efficiently enough to actually be of any help with WNS. This will not be easy to do regardless of the resources brought to bear.
Molly Matteson of the infamous Center for Biological Diversity (who argue for total cave closures due to WNS) has given her endorsement to this project.
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010 ... sick-bats/
That in itself is enough to make me question the integrity of the project and the real motives behind it.
Brian Roebuck
34626
TNCave wrote: To create assumptions with no investigation is voluntary naivety in my estimation.
TNCave wrote:Hi Guys,
Cory here from TNC. I just wanted to throw out a few things.
I strive to keep an open dialogue with everyone regarding my work, both supporters and critics. If you have questions about a TNC project or the scientific integrity of a project or policy, please don't hesitate to call or email me for more details or to discuss any aspect of TNC's cave related work. To create assumptions with no investigation is voluntary naivety in my estimation. Yes, the Pepsi website is scientifically vague, it is designed to give the most basic project information in a compact format. Pepsi purposely limits the amount of text we can put on the page, and that text is designed to attract votes, as without the funding, the details of the project are meaningless. So, yes, you are correct, the information on the Pepsi website is very basic project information designed to attract votes to fund our project. But you should know that TNC is a scientific organization and of course we have a complete plan that has been peer reviewed, even by some cavers who gave great input.
I would encourage anyone with questions about TNC projects or work to contact me at 615.504.7427 or cholliday@tnc.org.
Cory
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