North American Bat Death Toll Exceeds 6 Million From White-nose Syndrome

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Re: North American Bat Death Toll Exceeds 6 Million From White-nose Syndrome

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 28, 2013

CONTACTS:
Joe Kath - IDNR
217-785-8764
Ann Froschauer - USFWS
202-734-8452

White-Nose Syndrome Confirmed in Illinois Bats

Illinois becomes 20th state in U.S. to confirm deadly disease in bats
Springfield, IL - The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) today confirmed the presence of White-Nose Syndrome (WNS), a disease fatal to several bat species, in four Illinois counties.

The University of Illinois- Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), the United States Forest Service (USFS)-Shawnee National Forest, the University of Illinois' Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UIVDL), and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center-Madison, WI (NWHC) assisted in the discovery of WNS which was detected in LaSalle County in north-central Illinois, Monroe County in southwestern Illinois, and Hardin and Pope Counties in extreme southern Illinois.

Little brown bats and northern long-eared bats from these counties were submitted to the UIVDL and NWHC in early-to-mid February 2013. Both of these laboratories confirmed the disease, while the fungal pathogen was isolated directly from a LaSalle County bat and a Monroe County bat at the INHS.

With confirmation of WNS in Illinois, a total of 20 states, mostly in the eastern U.S., and five Canadian Provinces have now been confirmed infected. Currently seven hibernating bat species are affected by WNS: little brown bat, big brown bat, northern long-eared bat, tri-colored bat, eastern small-footed bat, the endangered Indiana bat, and the endangered gray bat. The disease continues to spread rapidly and has the potential to infect at least half of the bat species found in North America.

White-nose syndrome is not known to affect people, pets, or livestock but is harmful or lethal to hibernating bats, killing 90 percent or more of some species of bats in caves where the fungus has lasted for a year or longer, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. WNS is known to be transmitted primarily from bat to bat, but spores of Geomyces destructans, the non-native, cold-loving fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, may be inadvertently carried between caves and abandoned mines by humans on clothing, footwear, and caving gear. The name of the disease refers to the white fungal growth often found on the noses of infected bats.

White-nose syndrome was first detected in New York State in 2006 and has killed more than 5.7 million cave-dwelling bats in the eastern third of North America as it has spread south and west
across the landscape. A map of the current spread of white-nose syndrome can be found at http://whitenosesyndrome.org/resources/map.

Research has shown that WNS-infected bats are awaking from hibernation as often as every three to four days as opposed to the normal every 10-20 days. The fungus damages the connective tissues, muscles and skin of the bats while also disrupting their physiological functions. The bats wake up dehydrated and hungry during the cold winters when there are no insects to eat.

"Although its arrival was anticipated, the documented spread of WNS into Illinois is discouraging news, mainly because there is no known way to prevent or stop this disease in its tracks,? said Joe Kath, Endangered Species Manager for the IDNR.

?Pest-control services provided by insect-eating bats in the United States likely save the U.S. agricultural industry several billion dollars a year, and yet insectivorous bats are among the most overlooked, economically important, non-domesticated animals in North America.?

?Isolating the fungal pathogen directly from a bat is the ?gold standard? for confirming this disease, and the Bat WNS team at the University of Illinois was able to do this in our laboratory,? said Andrew Miller, Mycologist at INHS.

?We are saddened by the discovery of WNS in Illinois,? said National WNS Coordinator Jeremy Coleman of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ?We will continue to work with our partners to address this devastating disease and work towards conservation of bat species in North America.?

Because Illinois and several other Midwestern states are home to many federally endangered bat species, as well as some of the largest hibernating bat populations in the country, the complete closure of all IDNR-owned and/or managed caves within the State of Illinois was enacted in 2010. In addition, all caves within the Shawnee National Forest, managed by the USFS, have been formally closed since 2009. Both the IDNR and USFS will be evaluating these caves on an annual basis and the closure orders will remain in effect for the benefits of bat conservation until further notice. Unfortunately, research indicates that the fungus that causes WNS remains in caves where bats hibernate even when bats are not present and the IDNR remains concerned that people may inadvertently carry WNS out of the caves with them.

?The IDNR recognizes that continued cave closures will require patience from the caving community and other citizens. However, the observed devastation to bat populations and the evidence for human-assisted spread justifies that we exercise an abundance of caution in managing activities that impact caves and bats,? Kath added. ?We understand these measures will not be a cure for WNS, but they are necessary to help slow the spread of this affliction and to reduce the risks to surviving bat populations in North America.?

Bats are the only major predator of night-flying insects and play a crucial role in the environment. A single big brown bat can eat between 3,000 and 7,000 mosquitos in a night, with large populations of bats consuming thousands of tons of potentially harmful forest and agricultural pests annually. The bat conservation community is deeply concerned and involved with fighting the spread of WNS. Researchers in Illinois and across the U.S. are working diligently on finding a way to mitigate this fatal disease. Federal, state and local organizations continue to focus on conservation, containment, and education.

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/news/Pages/White-NoseSyndromeConfirmedinIllinoisBats.aspx

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Re: North American Bat Death Toll Exceeds 6 Million From White-nose Syndrome

White-nose Syndrome Confirmed at Fern Cave

April 8, 2013
...
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has confirmed the presence of white-nose syndrome at Fern Cave National Wildlife Refuge in Jackson County, Alabama. Fern Cave provides winter hibernation habitat for several bat species, and contains the largest documented wintering colony of federally listed endangered gray bats, with over one million gray bats hibernating there. The disease was confirmed in tri-colored bats that were collected at two entrances to the cave.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) has decimated bat populations across eastern North America, with mortality rates reaching up to 100 percent at some sites. First documented in New York in 2006/2007, the disease has spread into 22 states and five Canadian provinces. Bats with WNS may exhibit unusual behavior during cold winter months, including flying outside during the day and clustering near the entrances of caves and mines where they hibernate. Bats have been found sick and dying in unprecedented numbers near affected sites.

White-nose syndrome has been documented in seven hibernating bat species, including two federally listed endangered species, the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and gray bat (Myotis grisescens). Significant disease-related mortality has been documented in many colonies of hibernating Indiana bats. Mortality in other species, including tri-colored bats, is also significant. While WNS is not currently known to cause mortality in gray bats, the detection of infected bats at Fern Cave is cause for concern.

?With over a million hibernating gray bats, Fern Cave is undoubtedly the single most significant hibernaculum for the species,? said Paul McKenzie, Endangered Species Coordinator for the Service. ?Although mass mortality of gray bats has not yet been confirmed from any WNS infected caves in which the species hibernates, the documentation of the disease from Fern Cave is extremely alarming and could be catastrophic. The discovery of WNS on a national wildlife refuge only highlights the continued need for coordination and collaboration with partners in addressing this devastating disease.?

The infected tri-colored bats were discovered on winter surveillance trips, conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and members of the National Speleological Society (NSS) and Southeastern Cave Conservancy, Inc. (SCCi). Biologists observed white fungus on the muzzles, wings, and tail membranes of several tri-colored bats, leading them to collect specimens for analysis. The disease was diagnosed by histopathology at the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) at the University of Georgia.

The gray bat, federally listed as an endangered species in 1976, occupies a limited geographic range in limestone karst areas of the southeastern United States. With rare exceptions, gray bats live in caves year-round. Gray bats live in very large numbers in only a few caves, making them extremely vulnerable to disturbance. Cooperative conservation measures, such as restricting human access to gray bat roosting sites, have been successful in helping gray bat populations recover in many areas.

The potential impact of WNS on gray bats is still unknown. Although no visible fungal growth was observed on hibernating gray bats during these winter surveys, lab testing detected the presence of fungal DNA on swabs submitted from several live gray bats.
Fern Cave NWR consists of 199 acres of forested hillside underlain by a massive cave with many stalactite and stalagmite-filled rooms. The cave has five hidden entrances with four occurring on the Refuge. One entrance is owned and managed by SCCi.

Access is extremely difficult and has been described as ?a vertical and horizontal maze? by expert cavers. Horizontal sections of the cave are known to be more than 15 miles long and vertical drops of 450 feet are found within. The partnership with NSS and SCCi has been critical to monitoring the gray bat population at Fern Cave.

"Since discovering Fern Cave in 1961, members of the National Speleological Society have worked hard to protect it,? said Steve Pitts, SCCi Fern Cave Property Manager. ?For over 30 years, NSS members have also been key U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partners in the effort to protect Fern's gray bat colony. It's a huge blow to all of us who love Fern Cave to know that WNS is now there. We hope the gray bats will survive."

The Service is leading a cooperative effort with federal and state agencies, tribes, researchers, universities and other non-government organizations to understand and manage the spread of WNS. In addition to developing science-based protocols and guidance for land management agencies and other partners to minimize the spread of WNS, the Service has funded numerous research projects to support and assess management recommendations and improve our basic understanding of the dynamics of the disease.

While bat-to-bat transmission is presumed to be the primary method the disease is spread, scientists believe that humans can inadvertently transport fungal spores on clothing, footwear, and gear that has been in infected sites. Fern Cave is not open for general public visitation; the entrances on the Refuge are closed to protect gray bats, and the entrance on SCCi managed land requires a permit. Researchers and permitted cavers entering Fern Cave take great care to reduce the risk of transporting fungus into or out of the cave, and minimize disturbance of roosting bats.

Cave explorers and researchers should check with the appropriate land manager before visiting any cave, as many caves are closed to protect hibernating bats. Decontamination of clothing, footwear and gear can reduce risk of accidental transmission of fungal spores. For the most up-to-date decontamination protocols, please visit the national WNS website, www.WhiteNoseSyndrome.org.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service.

For more information about white-nose syndrome, visit www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome. Connect with our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usfwswns, follow our tweets at www.twitter.com/usfws_wns, and download white-nose syndrome and bat photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/collections/72157626455036388/.
For more information about the federally listed endangered gray bat, visit http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/mammals/grbat_fc.html.
For more information about Fern Cave and the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge complex, visit http://www.fws.gov/ferncave/.

http://us.vocuspr.com/Newsroom/Query...ase&Cache=True

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Re: North American Bat Death Toll Exceeds 6 Million From White-nose Syndrome

Bat-killing disease hitting Virginia harder than ever
...

Posted: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 12:00 am
BY REX SPRINGSTON Richmond Times-Dispatch
...
Scientists once hoped the disease, caused by a cold-loving fungus, might be less deadly as it moves south. In Virginia, at least, that?s not happening.

?We don?t see the disease really slowing down,? said Ann Froschauer, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
...
?There seems to be sort of a time lag,? Froschauer said. ?The Mid-Atlantic states ? Virginia, West Virginia and this general area ? are really getting hammered? in 2013.
...
?I would say that Virginia is saturated? with the disease, Reynolds said. ?We are not going to places and not finding it.?
...
This past winter, in 13 Virginia caves that have been infested by white-nose syndrome for at least three years, 98.8 percent of the little brown bats had died, state figures show.

The little brown was once Virginia?s most common bat by far. Now, Reynolds said, ?I would say it?s leaning toward being one of the more rare bats in the state.?
...
It?s possible the disease will kill most of Virginia?s cave-dwelling bats, and it may have already, Reynolds said.
...

Full text:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/state-regional/bat-killing-disease-hitting-virginia-harder-than-ever/article_890ae3b7-9956-5458-a054-2e35176136c5.html

[Emily]

Re: North American Bat Death Toll Exceeds 6 Million From White-nose Syndrome


Colorado Receives Funding to Research Deadly Bat Malady

By Justine Hausheer July 10, 2013 2:00 PM
[snip]
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) will use the $41,500 grant to prepare for the inevitable spread of WNS to western states. Colorado is home to 18 species of bat, 14 of which hibernate in-state and might be vulnerable to the disease. Their first goal is to locate hibernation sites so scientists can monitor them for signs of WNS. Unlike eastern bats, Colorado bats don?t hibernate in massive colonies. Instead, they spread out into little groups hidden in tiny cracks and crevices in the mountains. This might slow the spread of WNS between bats, but it also makes finding and monitoring our bats very difficult...

[Shiloh]

Re: North American Bat Death Toll Exceeds 6 Million From White-nose Syndrome

Source: http://www.starjournalnow.com/Conten...ome/-3/37/7198


Deadly bat disease detected in single Wisconsin site; state joins 23 others in confirming white-nose syndrome
Thursday, April 10, 2014 9:28 AM

White-nose syndrome, a bat disease that has spread to 23 states and killed up to 5 million bats since 2006, has been confirmed in Wisconsin, state natural resources officials announced today.

Results from visual inspection and genetic and tissue tests completed earlier this month showed that 2 percent of bats in a single mine in southwestern Wisconsin had the disease, named for the characteristic white fuzz on their nose, wings and tails, according to Erin Crain, who leads the Department of Natural Resources Natural Heritage Conservation Program.

"The discovery is not a surprise, but it's a sad day for Wisconsin. We face the loss of multiple bat species and the benefits they provide to our ecosystems and our people," Crain says...

[Shiloh]

Re: North American Bat Death Toll Exceeds 6 Million From White-nose Syndrome

Source: http://americanlivewire.com/2014-04-...spreading-u-s/

Fungal Disease Fatal To Bats Killed Millions In North America, Spreading In U.S.
Posted by: Melissa Jackson 2 hours ago

A fungal disease that is fatal to bats has killed millions of bats in North America and is spreading in the United States. It has recently been detected in Michigan for the first time.

Wildlife officials reported the findings and the state Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that laboratory test confirmed it was the fungal disease that killed 90 percent of Michigan?s bat species. It caused white nose syndrome in Alpena, Dickinson and Mackinac counties...

[Emily]

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/science/article/White-nose-syndrome-confirmed-in-Washington-bats-7220539.php

Devastating white-nose syndrome confirmed in Washington bat, first on West Coast By JAKE ELLISON, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF
Updated 9:50 pm, Thursday, March 31, 2016

Spelling serious trouble for bats and all of us who enjoy evenings outdoors without swarms of disease-laden bugs, white-nose syndrome has been confirmed in a bat found in North Bend, Wash., according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The sick bat was a little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). Hikers found the sick bat on March 11 and took it to authorities. The bat died two days later and subsequent tests confirmed it had white-nose syndrome.

It's the first confirmed case of the deadly bat disease in western North America, and given how the disease has spread in the eastern part of the US. since its discovery in 2006, it could devastate bat populations here. In a decade, the syndrome killed more than six million beneficial insect-eating bats in North America, the department said...

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4496&from=rss_home

Bat with white-nose syndrome confirmed in Washington state
Released: 3/31/2016 2:00:00 PM
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
OLYMPIA, Wash. ? White-nose syndrome (WNS) has been confirmed in a little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) found near North Bend ? the first recorded occurrence of this devastating bat disease in western North America. The presence of this disease was verified by the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Wildlife Health Center.
WNS has spread quickly among bats in other affected areas, killing more than six million beneficial insect-eating bats in North America since it was first documented nearly a decade ago.
WNS is not known to pose a threat to humans, pets, livestock or other wildlife.
On March 11, hikers found the sick bat about 30 miles east of Seattle near North Bend, and took it to Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) for care. The bat died two days later, and had visible symptoms of a skin infection common in bats with WNS.
PAWS then submitted the bat for testing to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, which confirmed through fungal culture, molecular and pathology analyses that it had WNS.
?We are extremely concerned about the confirmation of WNS in Washington state, about 1,300 miles from the previous westernmost detection of the fungus that causes the disease,? said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. ?Bats are a crucial part of our ecology and provide essential pest control for our farmers, foresters and city residents, so it is important that we stay focused on stopping the spread of this fungus. People can help by following decontamination guidance to reduce the risk of accidentally transporting the fungus.?
First seen in North America in the winter of 2006/2007 in eastern New York, WNS has now spread to 28 states and five Canadian provinces. USGS microbiologist David Blehert first identified the unknown fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which causes the disease. WNS is named for the fuzzy white fungal growth that is sometimes observed on the muzzles of infected bats. The fungus invades hibernating bats? skin and causes damage, especially to delicate wing tissue, and physiologic imbalances that can lead to disturbed hibernation, depleted fat reserves, dehydration and death.
?This finding in a far-western location is unfortunately indicative of the challenges we face with the unpredictability of WNS,? said Suzette Kimball, director of the USGS. "This underscores the critical importance of our work to develop tools for early detection and rapid response to potentially devastating wildlife diseases."
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leads the national WNS response effort, working with state and federal partners to respond to the disease. The Service?s National White-nose Syndrome Coordinator Jeremy Coleman said the first step will be to conduct surveillance near where the bat was found to determine the extent of WNS in the area. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is responsible for bat management and conservation in Washington and will coordinate surveillance and response efforts.
WDFW veterinarian Katie Haman said the disease is transmitted primarily from bat to bat, although people can carry fungal spores on their clothing, shoes or caving gear.
?The bat found near North Bend most likely had been roused from hibernation and was attempting to feed at a time of very low insect availability,? Haman said. ?At this point we don?t know where the infected bat may have spent the winter, but it seems likely that it was somewhere in the central Cascades.?
Haman said Washington state has 15 species of bats that benefit humans by consuming large quantities of insects that can impact forest health and commercial crops.
WDFW advises against handling animals that appear sick or are found dead. If you find dead bats or notice bats exhibiting unusual behavior such as flying outside during the day or during freezing weather, please report your observation online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/health/wns or contact the WDFW Wildlife Health Hotline at (800) 606-8768.
To learn more about WNS and access the most updated decontamination protocols and cave access advisories, visit www.whitenosesyndrome.org.

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Discovery of bat disease in Washington state alarms Alaska biologists

Yereth RosenAlaska Dispatch News
April 1, 2016
...
White-nose syndrome, a fungus-related disease that has spread westward after wiping out millions of bats in the U.S. Northeast and in eastern Canada, is now in Washington state ? and could jump to Alaska, biologists fear.

The spread of white-nose syndrome to the West Coast, over the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, is much faster than expected

?This is a game-changer,? said Link Olson, curator of mammals at the University of Alaska Museum in Fairbanks. ?Once it?s on the West Coast, there are really no significant barriers preventing it from coming up from Washington.?

Up to now, the westernmost documentation of the disease was in the Midwest, meaning it has made a 1,300-mile leap across the continent, said Karen Blejwas, a wildlife biologist and bat specialist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

?It?s really unexpected, because this is by far the largest jump the disease has ever made since it was discovered in 2006,? she said.

More...

https://www.adn.com/article/20160401/discovery-bat-disease-washington-state-alarms-alaska-biologists

[Gert van der Hoek]

New white-nose syndrome spread map shows South Dakota as the 33rd state where the disease of hibernating bats has been confirmed.