Zoologists' Survey Shows 90% Fatality Rate From White Nose For Bats In NE United States

[hatrack]

Only 10 percent of the Northeast's cave-dwelling bats have survived the massive die-offs associated with a powdery white fungal infection, New York wildlife experts announced Wednesday.

The survey, begun last winter by the state's Department of Environmental Conservation, points to a larger-than-expected death count in New York, Vermont and Massachusetts caves. White-nose syndrome has claimed the lives of more than 1 million insect-eating bats over the past two winters due to premature loss of fat reserves, starvation and possibly an undetected pathogen, experts say.

The study shows that little brown bats, which comprise about 85 percent of all hibernating bats in the region, were the hardest hit: Their numbers declined by about 93 percent. Indiana bat declines ranged from 97 percent to 29 percent -- a disparity that matches scientists' frustrations in tracking a clear-cut culprit for white-nose syndrome (the fungus alone does not appear to be a killer).

In the department's news release, New York bat specialist Alan Hicks termed the die-offs unprecedented, and said multi-jurisdictional efforts would accelerate as funding allows. "Collecting data at the epicenter is not only critical for protecting animals here, but also for informing wildlife agencies across the country that are dealing with this issue," he said.

EDIT

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20091217/NEWS02/912170309/Northeast-bat-toll-hits-90

[mike_c]

1. this is a horrendous epizootic....

Wow. Ninety percent fatality. That is staggering.

[FSogol]

2. It is sad with all the mosquitoes, we need bats more than ever.

I build and put up a bat house last spring and late in August, I saw 2 bats checking it out. (They had landed on the bottom strip.) Hopefully, I'll get a lot more to move in this upcoming Spring.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. I have definitely noticed fewer bats in my neck of the woods.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. “Bats” you say? What’s a “bat?”

Oh! You mean one of those night birds? Haven’t seen one for a few years now…

[stuntcat]

5. it is so sad

We're in a busy city but up on a hill, so every night for years we watched lots of bats swooping across of back yard, it's always bright here so we could see them pretty well! We even put up four bat houses. I've seen some again this year but definitely not as many as we used to see.