sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
Fungus is killing bats at an alarming rate
A mysterious white fungus is appearing in populations throughout the Northeast. Can bats be saved?
Sunday, March 07, 2010
By John Hayes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
snip
The bats appear to die of starvation during hibernation, but scientists still cannot confirm that the fungus is the primary cause of death. What they know: White-nose Syndrome is spreading fast, but not uniformly. It leapfrogs from affected areas to popular recreational caving sites, leading researchers to suspect that microscopic fungal spores get onto clothing worn by cavers, who unintentionally carry it to new sites. Some researchers speculate that European cavers may have innocently brought the spores to America, where native bats have no natural resistance. Others suspect spread of the fungus is more likely a naturally occurring anomaly.
snip
"You try not to over-interpret, but at the same time I won't sugarcoat it," Dr. Reeder said. "We're seeing 80, 90, 95 percent mortality in some of these caves. We come back the next year -- another 90 percent mortality. I mean, how long can that go on?"
A mysterious white fungus is appearing in populations throughout the Northeast. Can bats be saved?
Sunday, March 07, 2010
By John Hayes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
snip
The bats appear to die of starvation during hibernation, but scientists still cannot confirm that the fungus is the primary cause of death. What they know: White-nose Syndrome is spreading fast, but not uniformly. It leapfrogs from affected areas to popular recreational caving sites, leading researchers to suspect that microscopic fungal spores get onto clothing worn by cavers, who unintentionally carry it to new sites. Some researchers speculate that European cavers may have innocently brought the spores to America, where native bats have no natural resistance. Others suspect spread of the fungus is more likely a naturally occurring anomaly.
snip
"You try not to over-interpret, but at the same time I won't sugarcoat it," Dr. Reeder said. "We're seeing 80, 90, 95 percent mortality in some of these caves. We come back the next year -- another 90 percent mortality. I mean, how long can that go on?"