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
Several suspects
BCI said that the main suspects are: an unknown viral, bacterial or fungal pathogen; the effect of climate change on food supply or hibernation; or an environmental pollutant (such as a pesticide) which has impaired the bats' ability to build fat reserves for the winter.
At present, scientists can't be sure whether the disease is just transmitted between bats or if humans are helping the spread.
Wildlife biologist Al Hicks of New York's State Department of Environmental Conservation is heading up the scientific effort to find the culprit. He says that the first cases were reported in Albany, New York, over a year ago and this year has rapidly spread over a wide area – potentially supporting the idea that a disease is behind the deaths.
Carole Copeyon of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Pennsylvania Field Office noted an uncanny similarity in the epidemiology of the disease to the deadly bee disease colony collapse disorder (CCD), which has swept across the U.S. since 2004. In both bats and bees, sick animals were found to leave their colonies during winter, she said, which is highly unusual.
Maladaptive behaviour
"There may be no association with what we are seeing in bats … but some of the similarities including the timing of the bee and bat colony collapses and the incidences of highly unusual, maladaptive behaviour raise questions," said Copeyon in an email.
Whatever the cause, bat numbers are dropping fast, with losses of around 90 per cent reported in some colonies. This is of major concern in species where the female only produces one pup a year, said a statement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The loss of bats from the ecosystem could also cause an ecological upheaval, since the mammals each eat many thousands of flying insects in the summer.
BCI has arranged an academic meeting in June for scientists to compare notes and identify the most important avenues for investigation.
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.