Take Action: Help Protect Western Bats From White-Nose Syndrome
Photo credit: Center for Biological Diversity
A devastating new wildlife disease known as white-nose syndrome has killed more than a million bats in the eastern United States during the last four winters. The deadly bat malady, believed to be caused by an introduced fungus, threatens to move into the western half of the country. This fungus was found in western Oklahoma last spring — a jump of 900 miles from the closest sites known the previous year.
In 2010, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition urging the administrative closure of all bat-occupied caves and mines on federal lands in the lower 48 states. In order to determine how federal land agencies have responded, they recently conducted a survey of the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They found that although there have been some important cave closures, caves remain open across large swaths of the West, leaving bats vulnerable to the introduction of white-nose syndrome.
Posted by WILDNEWJERSEY at 1/28/2011 3:00 PM 
Categories: Bats, Take Action
Tags: white nose syndrome fungus little brown bat center for biological diversity national park service
Categories: Bats, Take Action
Tags: white nose syndrome fungus little brown bat center for biological diversity national park service
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