Friday, March 27, 2009
By the Way Spelunking Moratorium in Tennessee Hibernacula: In Weird Reversal, We May Be Spreading Disease to Bats
Posted by Brantley Hargrove on Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 1:17 PM
But in this weird, microbial-melting pot of a world, the tables have turned on the cave-dwelling, winged vermin, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A mysterious malady called white-nose syndrome has already claimed the lives of some 500,000 bats in West Virginia and as far as New England. There are indications it may have made its way into Virginia, too.
USFWS is asking cavers to steer clear of hibernacula--bat caves--because scientists suspect they may inadvertently be spreading the disease with their clothing and equipment. This means the states mentioned above, as well as Tennessee, are a no-go for spelunkers.
White nose syndrome is a poorly understood affliction associated with white fungal growths on bats' noses and wings. The fungus is probably just an opportunistic infection, meaning no one really knows what causes it.
Now while this sucks for spelunkers, it may suck even worse for our farmers if the disease crosses the Tennessee border. Bats are gross and creepy, but they eat a lot of bugs that might otherwise be decimating crops.
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Cave activity discouraged to help protect bats from deadly white-nose syndrome
White-nose syndrome, a wildlife crisis of unprecedented proportions, has killed hundreds of thousands of bats from Vermont to West Virginia and continues unchecked. Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking those who use caves where bats hibernate – called hibernacula – to take extra precautions and to curtail activities to help prevent the spread of WNS.
There is no known human health risk associated with white-nose syndrome in bats. While the actual cause of WNS is unknown, scientists are reasonably certain that WNS is transmitted from bat-to-bat. However, WNS has been found in caves a significant distance from WNS-affected hibernacula, leading scientists to believe that something else is moving WNS.
“We suspect that white-nose syndrome may be transmitted by humans inadvertently carrying WNS from cave to cave where bats hibernate,” said Northeast Regional Director Marvin Moriarty of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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CaveAdvisory/2
The Service’s cave advisory asks that cavers curtail all caving activity in WNS-affected states and adjoining states to protect bats from the spread of WNS. The advisory also asks that cavers beyond WNS-affected states and adjacent states use clothing and gear that has never been in affected and adjacent states. And finally, cavers everywhere should avoid caves and mines during the bat hibernation period (winter) to avoid disturbing bats.
In addition, federal and state scientists will evaluate all scientific activities in hibernacula for their potential to spread WNS, weighing potential benefits of the research against the risk to bats.
“We are working closely with state natural resource agencies, the caving community, conservation organizations and other federal agencies on this issue,” Moriarty said. “We understand that following these recommendations will inconvenience recreational cavers, but we believe this is the most responsible course of action as we face this unknown threat to bats, which play an important role in our world.”
The Service’s cave advisory is posted at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works 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 a 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 our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.
-FWS-
