White Nose Syndrome Found in Ohio

Naturalists are warning that bats in Northeast Ohio maybe wiped out within three years time. The disease known as white nose syndrome has spread to parts of Ohio. Currently 7,000,000 bats throughout the US, particularly in the Northeast, have died of white nose syndrome.

The announcement was made after biologists discovered the presence of white nose syndrome in bats hibernating in caves in the West Woods area of Russell and Newbury Ohio.  Currently there is no cure for white nose syndrome, and the mortality rate is hundred percent.

Source:

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2012/02/deadly_white-nose_syndrome_fou_1.html

Interested in teaching your students more about ecology? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode Ecology – Bats: Creatures of the Night.  If your school would like to receive this free resource, visit http://www.ssrvideo.com/nhcmsp.html.   

Interested in speaking to students about ecology? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Impending Ecological Imbalance

White Nose Syndrome has been wreaking havoc on bats in the US since 2006.  Since its discovery by a caver in New York, WNS has rapidly spread through at least 18 states from New Hampshire to Tennessee, killing millions of bats.  Biologists are baffled by this highly-contagious condition, and have yet to find a method for preventing the spread, or a cure.  The result?  2.4 million pounds of bugs will be left unchecked, as bats are highly predatory of mosquitoes. 

This impending ecological imbalance poses a real threat to the U.S.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services are recommending closing caves in the Northern and Southern states to prevent the spread of WNS.  The federal government is stepping in with funds and guidelines to help prevent the spread of, and find a cause and cure for WNS.  Researchers are investigating anti-fungal drugs as a way of decontaminating caves.  In the meantime, many species of bats are in danger of the rapidly spreading WNS. 

Interested in teaching your students more about ecology? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode Ecology – Bats: Creatures of the Night.  If your school would like to receive this free resource, visit http://www.ssrvideo.com/nhcmsp.html.   

Interested in speaking to students about ecology? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Source:

http://www.topsecretwriters.com/2011/06/white-nose-syndrome-in-bats-may-mark-the-start-of-ecological-imbalance/

White Nose Syndrome, With a European Twist

We’ve discussed, on this blog, the detrimental effects White Nose Syndrome is having on bats in North America.  But did you know that European bats are not dying from WNS?  There is documentation that WNS may have occurred as early as 1983 on European bats.  The first documented case of WNS in North America was in 2006.  WNS, also known as Geomyces destructans, is present in eight European countries.  

Researchers are now studying the differences between North American and European bats to find out how European bats are living with this mold.  Several treatments have been proposed, to include a vaccine, an anti-fungal spray, and introducing bacteria to the bat that would protect them against the fungus. 

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://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/01/european-bats-resistant-to-deadly-fungus.php

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

Nova Scotia Brown Bats Becoming Extinct

The mysterious condition, known as white nose syndrome, is believed to have originated in New York.  The condition has spread from coven to coven, carrying with it a mortality rate of 96-100%.   New Brunswick is at risk of losing its entire bat population to white nose syndrome. 

Tearing its way through bat populations in North America, white nose syndrome is wiping out populations in a short period of time.  Without bats in North America, insect species will go on living unchecked.  To combat the spread of white nose syndrome, The Department of Natural Resources is asking people to stay out of mines and caves.    

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://www.halifaxnewsnet.ca/Living/2011-08-09/article-2698415/Mysterious-disease-may-wipe-out-Nova-Scotias-brown-bats--/1