Fungal growth: A white substance can be seen growing on the noses of these hibernating bats, experts believe it may be unchecked fungal growth.
Credit: Al Hicks, New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation
SYDNEY: Thousands of hibernating bats in the U.S. have been found dead or dying due to an unknown disease. Experts have noted similarities to the colony collapse disorder, which has ripped through North American bee populations.
Since March 2008, the bat malady has spread to afflict colonies in at least 25 caves and mines across the north-eastern states, says the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The agency has issued a call for wildlife workers to keep a careful watch for 'white-nose syndrome' as the killer has been dubbed.
"Major and imminent threat"
"Hibernating bats are dying by the tens of thousands in the north-eastern United States and a growing circle of top scientists is anxiously trying to figure out why," said a statement from Bat Conservation International (BCI) a NGO based in Austin, Texas.
"The syndrome clearly is a major and imminent threat to North American bats, and until the cause is identified, we can do little to counter it," the conservation group said.
Most of the affected bats are found with a mysterious white substance on the nose and in patches over their bodies.
However, experts say that the white substance may not be the cause of the disease, but a symptom. Some believe it is an overgrowth of a normal skin fungus indicating poor health. Sick bats have been emaciated and dehydrated, and some showed an unusual pathology of the lungs never seen before.
Race against time
"Anyone finding sick or dead bats should avoid handling them and should contact their state wildlife conservation agency," said USGS disease specialist Kimberli Miller at the National Wildlife Health Centre in Madison, Wisconsin.
That centre has already examined over 100 dead bats from as far as New York, Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts.
The syndrome has been seen in species including the little brown (Myotis lucifugus), big brown (Eptesicus fuscus), northern long-eared (Nyctophilus arnhemensis) and eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus) bats.
It is now a race against time for scientists to find the cause of the sickness and attempt to halt its progress.
white nose syndrome
That's what you get for messing with nature. For example, Genetically Modified crop. The most important in the food chain (the bees) are dying, I believe it is due to the fact that there are GM crops which is unatural to the core! And when/if bats are ingesting crops which are modified and dying from it, well what do reckon it says about how it affects us? No bees, no bats, no us.... hmmmm that would be THE day!
white nose syndrome
We are doing a lot to our environment that could have negative consequences. For example, look at all the natural gas drilling that's going on. Here in NY they are drilling new wells everyday. I'm sure it's having some negative impact on nature.