Winter/Spring 2012 Aesculapian Magazine - University of Georgia ...

Courtesy of Bat Conservation International, www.batcon.org
The map shows the spread of WNS in the U.S. and Canada since it was first detected in
New York in 2006. The 2011 confirmations, which include sites in North Carolina, Indiana,
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Kentucky, are shown in purple. Known bat
hibernation areas are shown in blue-gray.
Experts collaborate in the fight
Officials in the Georgia Department of Natural Resources
are monitoring caves but admit to feeling pretty helpless in light
of the fungus’ swift march south. The state’s largest hibernacula
—located in Rabun County — not far from caves with confirmed
cases in North Carolina — houses some 5,000 tri-colored bats.
“We seriously considered closing caves here,” said DNR wildlife
biologist Katrina Morris, “but cavers voiced a lot of opposition.
And because we need their help with monitoring and reporting, we
ultimately decided against it. Truthfully, we don’t have resources to
enforce cave closures anyway, so we’re relying on education, public
meetings — and articles like yours — to get the word out.”
In many states, including Georgia, wildlife officials have
posted information on their websites about White-Nose Syndrome,
including how to decontaminate clothing, ropes, and other gear
after caving by soaking them in disinfectants before washing.
The protocols were developed by Hazel Barton, a scientist at the
University of Kentucky. With funding from the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Barton and Keel are working together to identify
compounds that could kill the fungus in the environment. But caves
are delicate ecosystems, and Keel says that fungicides, even organic
ones, could cause other problems.
Funding for bat research is scarce, but scientists up and down
the East Coast are patching together small grants from multiple
sources or pursuing studies on their own. Several are working with
infected bats to determine what conditions might mitigate the
disease. Others are rehabilitating bats in labs to learn whether, once
infected, they can recover, and if so, whether they are susceptible to
future infection. Still others are using electron microscopy to study
the lesions associated with the disease.
“I’ve learned that bat biologists are a dedicated, unpretentious
group,” said Keel. “They’re sharing information and working together
to fight this thing. And even though we haven’t had much good news
for them, they’ve been a pleasure to work with.”
Scientists are especially baffled about the disease’s
destructiveness in North America — bats in Europe harbor the
identical Geomyces destructans fungus, but apparently without
deadly effects. Researchers assume that because White-Nose fungus
is native to Europe, bats there have some immunity while those here
have none, but it’s only a guess. “The truth is, we don’t yet know what
it’s doing, and unfortunately we don’t have the luxury of time,” said
Keel.
(Helen Fosgate is editor of ugaresearch, where this story was
initially published.)
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The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine