The cause is not likely to be ungated caves, but more likely to be single bats migrating and an increased detection of WNS infected bats. Cavers can continue to help by continuing to decon between caving regions and especially known bat caves, not disturbing hibernating bats, and reporting any unusual bats to their local FWS. In general, bats out west are even less studied than bats out east. If you know of a significant hibernaculum, make sure it is protected (tell your friends not to go there in winter), and monitored. We are more spread out here out west, so knowledge of hibernating bats may not be as well communicated. keep your hopes up, Jennifer > From: john_j_corcoran_...@msn.com > To: caverp...@gmail.com; nmca...@caver.net; Texascavers@texascavers.com > Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 20:57:28 -0600 > Subject: Re: [NMCAVER] Fwd: [MOCAVES] WNS fungus found in gray bats, Shannon > Co., MO > > Oh my... > > We need to start thinking about how we can help, especially since we have so > many ungated caves with the potential for hibernation sites. > > Regards, > > John > > -----Original Message----- > From: nmcaver-boun...@caver.net [mailto:nmcaver-boun...@caver.net] On Behalf > Of Pete Lindsley > Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 8:41 PM > To: New Mexico Caver Mailing List; Texas Cavers List > Subject: [NMCAVER] Fwd: [MOCAVES] WNS fungus found in gray bats, Shannon > Co., MO > > > > Begin forwarded message: > > From: caversquirr...@aol.com > Date: May 17, 2010 4:28:03 PM EDT > To: bill.elli...@mdc.mo.gov, moca...@caver.net > Subject: Re: [MOCAVES] WNS fungus found in gray bats, Shannon Co., MO > > Just reiceved a notice on Facebok from the ACCA that WNS was found in > Western Oklahoma on a Cave Myotis. The fun just keeps rolling in. > > Alicia > > -----Original Message----- > From: Bill Elliott <bill.elli...@mdc.mo.gov> > To: moca...@caver.net <moca...@caver.net> > Sent: Mon, May 17, 2010 1:14 pm > Subject: [MOCAVES] WNS fungus found in gray bats, Shannon Co., MO > > The following news affects many more bats and caves now.Gray bats have > been confirmed with Gd (Geomyces destructans). I appreciatethe sharp- > eyed work of the biologists who found this first case in gray batsand > in Shannon County, Missouri. A point I would like to emphasize is > thatclosing WNS caves may not totally prevent the spread of the > fungus, but it willafford the bats more quiet time, which we think may > result in a higher survivalrate, and it may reduce the secondary > spread of fungal spores. For moreinformation, please read the MDC > "White-nose Syndrome Action Plan,"particularly pp. 6-8, available as a > pdf at http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/caves/ William R. Elliott, PhDCave > Biologist/Resource ScientistMissouri Department of ConservationCave > Lab, Runge Conservation Nature CenterP.O. Box 180Jefferson City, MO > 65102-0180bill.elli...@mdc.mo.gov573-522-4115 > ext 3194Biospeleology website: > http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/biospeleology/ > -------------------May 14, 2010For Immediate ReleaseDena Matteson > 573-323-8234 ext. 21 Ozark NSR Closes All Caves afterWhite-Nose > Syndrome is Discovered in Shannon County Van Buren, MO - Officials at > Ozark National ScenicRiverways have announced the closure of all caves > in the park effectiveimmediately. On May 2 bat researchers from > Missouri StateUniversity found an infectious fungus in five gray bats > netted just outside acave in Shannon County, Missouri. The bats tested > positive in a genetics testfor the Geomyces destructans fungus, which > causes White-Nose Syndrome (WNS).Scars on their wings were a clue that > the bats probably were infected over thewinter, when the fungus grows > on the bats' faces and skin duringhibernation. The cool, damp > conditions in many caves provide an environment inwhich the fungus > thrives. WNS is a serious disease that has been responsible forthe > deaths of over one million bats since its discovery in New York > in2006. The first occurrence in Missouri, the twelfth state to > document thedisease, was discovered in Pike County in April. Six bat > species wereknown to be vulnerable, but the recent find is the first > known case in ShannonCounty, and the first case in the federally > endangered gray bat. The westward spread of WNS is believed to occur > primarilythrough bat-to-bat contact, but might also be transmitted on > the clothes andgear of humans who have visited an infected cave. > Closing bat caves tohuman entry reduces human disturbance of bats, > which exacerbates the mortalityrate caused by WNS, and reduces the > risk of possible human-bornetransmission. WNS does not infect other > animals or humans. The four biologists who discovered the infected > bats aregraduate students supervised by Dr. Lynn Robbins at Missouri > State Universityand are conducting a bat research project supported by > a grant from theNational Park Service. They had obtained netting > permits from theMissouri Department of Conservation, National Park > Service, and U.S. Fish andWildlife Service for that purpose. The cave, > owned by the Missouri Departmentof Conservation, is on the Current > River within the boundaries of OzarkNational Scenic Riverways. The > name and location are withheld to avoiddisturbance of the cave, which > contains many natural resources and severalspecies of bats. A cave > gate on the entrance prevents trespassers fromentering. Ozark > Riverways protects over 300 caves within itsboundaries. Access to > several of these has previously been restricted inorder to protect > fragileresources and ecosystems. Due to WNS, thepark is exercising > caution inmanaging activities that impact caves and bats. Park > Superintendent Reed Detring has determined that WNS is an imminent > threatto the cave bats in the park and every effort should be made to > prevent or slowits spread.The park is asking visitors to observe all > closures andto avoid other caves or passages of caves that may contain > hibernatingpopulations of bats. Round Spring Caverns will remain open > to public tours atthis time, although the park will implement > screening measures and precautionsdesigned to reduce the risk of human > transmission of WNS. Visitors should decontaminateall clothing, > footwear, and gear upon exiting any cave in order to reduce > thepossibility of transmitting the disease. For more information > regardingdecontamination of clothing and cave gear pleasevisit: > http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html > . According to Detring, this new policy will be reviewedregularly as > new information about the spread of WNS becomes available. "The park's > biologists have been working diligently to gatherinformation about WNS > since its discovery and to assess the cave resources atOzark > Riverways. We are using the best scientific data at hand to > makedecisions about our future management actions in this situation. > We willcontinue to gather information and cooperate with other > entities in order toprotect these valuable resources." The discovery > of WNS in Missouri, a state with more than6,300 caves, is troubling to > the state's leading cave resource experts. "Missouri is home to at > least 12 species ofbats," explained Missouri Department of > Conservation Cave Biologist BillElliott. "They are our front-line > defense against many insect pestsincluding some moths, certain beetles > and mosquitoes. Insect pests can causeextensive forest and > agricultural damage. Missouri's 775,000 gray batsalone eat more than > 223 billion bugs a year, or about 540 tons." "They also play a vital > role in cave ecosystems,providing nutrients for other cave life > through their droppings, or guano, andare food for other animals such > as snakes and owls," he said. The National Park Service will join > other resourceagencies in June to begin work on a comprehensive > Statewide White-Nose SyndromeAction Plan to address management of this > issue. Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves thefree-flowing > Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, the surrounding natural resources,and > the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people. For > moreinformation, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/ > ozar. -NPS- (See attached file: > NR 10-012 Ozark NSR Cave Closures dueto WNS.pdf) Dena MattesonFire > Communication and Education Specialist OzarkNational Scenic Riverways > P.O. Box 490 Van Buren, MO 63965 Ph: 573-323-8234 ext. 21Fax: > 573-323-8285 _______________________________________________ > MOCAVES mailing list > moca...@caver.net > http://caver.net/mailman/listinfo/mocaves_caver.net > > > > _______________________________________________ > MOCAVES mailing list > moca...@caver.net > http://caver.net/mailman/listinfo/mocaves_caver.net > > _______________________________________________ > NMCAVER mailing list > nmca...@caver.net > http://caver.net/mailman/listinfo/nmcaver_caver.net > > > _______________________________________________ > NMCAVER mailing list > nmca...@caver.net > http://caver.net/mailman/listinfo/nmcaver_caver.net _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail has tools for the New Busy. 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