MADISON, Wisconsin, February 9, 2012 (ENS) – Wisconsin bat scientists are going underground in February to search 120 caves and mines where bats hibernate for signs of the deadly fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome that has killed millions of bats in the eastern U.S. since 2006. While white-nose syndrome has not yet appeared in Wisconsin, the die-off elsewhere prompted the state to add four cave bat species to the state’s endangered and threatened species list last June. The state has listed: little brown bats, big brown bats, the Northern long-eared bat and the Eastern pipistrelle. A fifth cave bat, the Indiana bat, is on the federal Endangered Species List. The new state listing makes it illegal for people to kill, transport or possess bats in Wisconsin without a valid permit. The state’s Department of Natural Resource also has put in place administrative rules that give the agency authority to manage bats and establish prevention and control options. “White-nose syndrome has been wiping out cave bats across North America and it’s on our doorstep,” says Dave Redell, a bat ecologist who leads the Department of Natural Resources’ bat crew. Wisconsin has one of the Midwest’s largest populations of cave bats. Last year, Wisconsin bat crews searched 800 locations without finding white-nose syndrome, but Redell says it would be no surprise if the bat crew finds the disease in Wisconsin caves this year. “We remain optimistic,” he said, “and we’ve gotten great cooperation from landowners, partners and volunteers to keep the disease from arriving sooner than it could, and to slow its potential spread so we don’t lose several species to extinction.” White-nose syndrome is associated with the fungus Geomyces destructans, scientists have confirmed. The Wisconsin bat crew will look for the fuzzy white fungus on the nose, mouth and ears of hibernating bats, and for signs of unusual behavior like bats hibernating near cave entrances where it’s colder or bats flying around outside at night. […] He urges citizens to take steps aboveground to help keep bats healthy: identify bat roosting and hibernating sites, help count the bats and make a tax deductible donation to the Wisconsin Bat Conservation Fund. More information about these opportunities to get involved in efforts to save bats, and more information on Wisconsin bats and white-nose syndrome can be found on the special endangered species feature page of the DNR website.
Wisconsin Scientists to Search 120 Caves, Mines for Diseased Bats
