I have a hard time seeing humans as a significant vector in the spread of WNS, and have seen no evidence that supports this as a reality, not just a possibility. This includes the initial jump across the Atlantic. If humans are a minor factor in the spread then we may expect the disease to run its course as it is spread by major vectors (bat-to-bat). Likewise, where lands in the southeast are owned by a number of entities (USFS, NPS, state lands, private lands, etc), closing any one could not possibly contain the disease. What is as disturbing as the rapid spread of WNS is the seeming bias introduced in its study. We hear repeatedly how *humans are a vector*even as they ignore any and all suggestions to the contrary, as for instance the paper on geographic translocation in bats.
Although decon is a reasonable precaution to slow the spread of WNS, it relies on the honesty and integrity of the people signing the forms. And for cavers with boots, we can imagine that few want to soak their boots in sufficiently hot water for the requisite period of time. I might suggest (a) that, wherever possible, that sneakers should be used instead of boots, as they are more easily sterilized, and may even be thrown out after visiting an infected cave, and (b) that land management agencies, grottoes, etc., maintain sets of gear that are dedicated to a particular cave or group of caves, within which the chance of transmission by bats is high. If gear and ropes are not moved between caves or cave groups, and clothes are washed in hot water and bleached, then the chance of human transmission might be minimized even if caving in affected areas continued. I would also encourage land management agencies in the SW to follow the analytic example set by the Rocky Mountain Region in the EIS considering WNS, and not the example set by the Southern Region USFS in their proposed closure. The latter lacks transparency, employs a heavy-handed, one-size-fits-all approach, reflects more conjecture than science, and lacks accountability of ideas, data and conclusions. Furthermore, the excessively brief period allowed for comments sends the message that the concern and experience of the caving community counts for little. Michael Queen On Tue, May 13, 2014 at 5:08 AM, Peter Jones <pjca...@gwi.net> wrote: > > > Humans have carried fungal spores across the entire planet and probably > into space, so we should also take some responsibility for this catastrophe. > > Humans have been responsible for a number of serious threats to wildlife. > Sometimes inadvertent, and other times purposeful, but I think it’s too > early yet to accept responsibility for this one. Humans have taken action, > whether or not we’re responsible. I certainly hope we haven’t already > spread WNS across the entire universe. > > Derek Bristol > > > > Are there now bats in the space station?? Do they hang head up? If they > fly around every time the sun goes down, that means they go through 15.76 > sleep/awake cycles per day. That must mean there are also a lot of moths > on the space station. Are there astronaut cavers as well? I thought > everything they wore in space was hyper-decontaminated before they set foot > in the station. Do the bats crap into special vacuum containers? > > All these questions must be researched and answered!! > > Peter > > > _______________________________________________ > SWR mailing list > s...@caver.net > http://lists.caver.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/swr > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided free as a courtesy of CAVERNET >
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