Bats across New York state are dying from a mysterious malady known as “white-nose syndrome.”
Named for the white fungal growth that appears around the noses of infected bats, the condition has caused the deaths of tens of thousands of bats in the Northeastern U.S., mostly in New York but now spreading to other states as well.
The syndrome was first discovered last year in four bat hibernating caves near Albany. It’s now been observed at “virtually every significant bat hibernation site in New York,” according to the Center for Biological Diversity.
The Center is among a group of conservation organizations that is seeking immediate federal action to prevent further harm to bats. Their petition asks the feds to pull all permits for logging, burning and other activities that could endanger bats, and to close bat hibernation sites to the public.
Agencies receiving the petition include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Federal Highway Administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Forest Service.
White-nose syndrome has affected several different bat species, including the endangered gray bats, Indiana bats, Ozark big-eared bats and Virginia big-eared bats.
Shirley- this is pretty scary stuff. I heard about this on the Public Radio program, Living on Earth (loe.org). This epidemic could wipe out significant bat populations. I will be curious to see how ‘white nose syndrome’ affects insect populations.
Tim, you’re right. Considering the numbers of insects a single bat can eat, this could conceivably have a serious impact on how many mosquitoes some regions of the U.S. could see this summer.