Dear Ecologgers, As some of you may have heard, White Nose Syndrome has now been confirmed in Pennsylvania. This marks a new front on the expanding reach of this hugely detrimental and mystifying syndrome affecting the Northeast's cave bats. I suppose my reason for writing this is to express how distraught I am over the long term implications of the possible extirpation of some Myotis species. I know that may sound somewhat sensationalist, but with 90% mortality in some caves, I could believe it.
Here is a link to an informative website on the current status of white nose: http://www.batmanagement.com/wns/wns.html I just visited a WNS affected cave on Saturday and the sight was grim. We estimated about 3000-5000 dead bats either on the floor of the cave or carcasses still attached to the walls. In addition to those already passed, many of the living bats shows visible signs of fungus and were visibly emaciated. I hate to be so grim, but this is an important time for all species of bats, from those dying of WNS to those being cut down by wind turbines. If anyone has any bright ideas that might save the world (of bats), now's the time to let them be heard. All the best, Nate Fuller
