U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service White-nose syndrome The devastating disease of hibernating bats in North America August 2012
What is white-nose syndrome? White-nose syndrome is a disease affecting hibernating bats. Named for the white fungus that appears on the muzzle and other body parts of hibernating bats, WNS is associated with extensive mortality of bats in eastern North America. First documented in New York in the winter of 2006-2007, WNS has spread rapidly across the eastern United States and Canada, and the fungus that causes WNS has been detected as far west as Oklahoma.
Bats with WNS exhibit uncharacteristic behavior during cold winter months,
including flying outside in the day Marvin Moriarty/USFWS and clustering near the entrances of Bat with white-nose syndrome hibernacula. Bats have been found sick Numerous laboratories and state and n Tricolored bat (Perimyotis and dying in unprecedented numbers federal biologists are investigating subflavus) in and around caves and mines. WNS the cause of the bat deaths. A has killed more than 5.5 million bats newly discovered fungus, Geomyces Bat species on which Geomyces in the Northeast and Canada. In some destructans, has been demonstrated to destructans has been detected: hibernacula, 90 to 100 percent of bats cause WNS. Scientists are investigating n Cave bat (Myotis velifer) have died. the dynamics of fungal infection and n Southeastern bat (Myotis transmission, and searching for a way austroriparius) to control it. Federally listed species found in What bats are being affected? the affected area that have not yet More than half of the 45 bat species been confirmed with WNS or fungal living in the United States rely on infection: hibernation for winter survival. Eleven n Virginia big-eared bat cave-hibernating bats, including four (Corynorhinus townsendii endangered species and subspecies are virginianus) endangered already affected by or are potentially at n Ozark big-eared bat risk from WNS. (Corynorhiunus townsendii ingens) endangered Bat species affected by WNS: n Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) Where is it now? n Eastern small-footed bat (Myotis White-nose syndrome has continued leibii) to spread rapidly. At the end of the n Gray bat (Myotis grisescens) 2010-2011 hibernating season, bats endangered with WNS were confirmed in 19 states n Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and four Canadian provinces: endangered n Alabama Marvin Moriarty/USFWS n Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) n Connecticut Biologist entering cave to assess the n Northern long-eared bat (Myotis n Delaware effects of WNS on bats septentrionalis) n Indiana This new round of funding builds on approximately $6.1 million that the Service has dedicated to WNS research and state capacity support starting in 2008.
For more information see http://www. fws.gov/WhiteNoseSyndrome/
Federal Relay Service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1 800/877 8339
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov
August 2012
n Kentucky WNS National Plan n Maine In 2009 and 2010, the Service led a n Maryland team of federal and state agencies and n Massachusetts tribes in preparing a national whitenose n Missouri syndrome management plan n New Hampshire to address the threat to hibernating n New Jersey bats. The plan provides a framework n New York for coordinating and managing the n North Carolina national investigation and response n Ohio to WNS. The National Plan for n Pennsylvania Assisting States, Federal Agencies, n Tennessee and Tribes in Managing White-Nose n Vermont Syndrome in Bats outlines the actions n Virginia necessary for state, federal and tribal n West Virginia coordination, and provides an overall n New Brunswick, Canada strategy for investigating the cause of n Nova Scotia, Canada WNS and finding ways to manage it. n Ontario, Canada n Quebec, Canada Research In March 2012, the Service announced The fungus that causes WNS, eight grants totaling approximately Geomyces destructans, has been $1.6 million to continue the confirmed in one additional state: investigation of white-nose syndrome n Iowa (WNS) in bats, and to identify ways to n Oklahoma manage it.
What is being done? Funded projects include detailed Partnerships studies of Geomyces destructans, the The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fungus demonstrated to cause WNS, leads an extensive network of state and including how it interacts with bats federal agencies, tribes, organizations, and the environment; developing a institutions and individuals in working better understanding of how WNS cooperatively to investigate the is transmitted; determining the source, spread and cause of bat deaths mechanics of G. destructans infections associated with WNS and develop in bats, including the susceptibility management strategies to minimize the and resistance of bats to the infection; impacts of WNS. determining how persistent the fungus is in the environment; and identifying and developing non-chemical control options for treatment and prevention of spread of G. destructans.