RD,
Humans are the most likely vector for having brought WNSto this continent.
If that is the case, then I would consider cave-to-cave transmission of WNS to
be a serious possibility.
Andy
Andrew G. Gluesenkamp, Ph.D.
700 Billie Brooks Drive
Driftwood, Texas 78619
(512) 799-1095
a...@gluesenkamp.com
________________________________
From: R D Milhollin <rdmilhol...@yahoo.com>
To: Cavers Texas <texascavers@texascavers.com>
Sent: Sat, March 5, 2011 1:03:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Texascavers] WNS and Cave Access
I may not be up-to-date on the reported studies being done on the subject, but
are there conclusive, convincing, or even supporting data available that show
WNS transmission by cavers has actually taken place? I understand the
possibility exists, but I am unaware that humans have been actually implicated
in the transmission of the fungus from cave to cave. Is there reason to doubt
the effectiveness of the decontamination protocol for disinfecting gear and
clothing used in contaminated caves? Should the practice of not using gear in
uncontaminated caves once it has been in contaminated caves be sufficient to
assure cross-contamination will not occur (assuming the caver showers and
disinfects the body between trips)? I know there are other conscientious cavers
out there who question what might seem to be an unfounded restriction on caving
in WNS areas by government agencies that control access to the caves. Also, how
are cave closings by the agencies going
to keep uninformed recreational cavers or just plain trespassers from going
into
the caves? It would seem that the blanket restriction will only keep out the
serious (non-CRF) cavers who are probably the best resource to to government
cave managers for monitoring and documenting the goings-on at the caves in
question, and whose organizations are probably responsible for a large amount
of
the education about WNS that is happening.
--- On Fri, 3/4/11, Diana Tomchick <diana.tomch...@utsouthwestern.edu> wrote:
> Actually, in this day and age of WNS,
> all caves that shelter bats should really be considered to
> belong to the bats. ...
> Many recreational cavers (and spelunkers) still haven't
> heard about WNS, wouldn't know how to identify it if they
> saw infected bats, and the agencies can't know if such
> people could be trusted to notify the proper authorities if
> they DID find it. Hence the rash of cave closings by the
> NPS, USFS & BLM. The CRF has agreements in several
> regions of the country to perform survey and monitoring work
> in caves that are otherwise closed to the general public.
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