Yellowstone Bracing for White Nose Syndrome

Biologists at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming are examining bats to search for signs of White Nose Syndrome.  This fatal condition in bats is wiping out entire covens on the East Coast of North America.  Scientists in Yellowstone are examining bats to establish a baseline so they can better detect the condition, if White Nose Syndrome strikes the Yellowstone covens.

White Nose Syndrome is a fungus that strikes hibernating bats.  It erodes bat’s skin, and causes them to increase activity, which leads to a depletion of stored fat more rapidly than would normally occur.  Cases have been documented as far West as Oklahoma.  To date, the condition has killed more than 1 million bats since 2006.

Interested in teaching your students more about bats? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode: Ecology - Bats: Creatures of the Night.  Interested in speaking to students about bats? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Source:

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_6b563ebd-0938-5ae6-b4e9-13f166ad9aa1.html?oCampaign=hottopics