Maryland bats infected with white nose syndrome
My colleague Frank Roylance reports in The Baltimore Sun today that white nose syndrome has made its way across the Pennsylvania border and is infecting bats sleeping now in Maryland mines.
Dan Feller, a biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, told Frank that affected bats have been found in four of 10 mines in Washington County. Infected bats were found in Maryland's Allegany County last year.
The disease has been spreading west and south from New York state since about 2006, and it kills bats by interrupting their hibernation cycle. The fungus irritates the bats into wakefulness, causing them to leave their caves in seach of food, which is in short supply in winter. The bats either freeze or starve.
The origin of the fungus is unknown, as is a cure.
Bats have a bad rep, but they are a gardener's friend, devouring insects all summer long, especially mosquitos. They are great pollinators, too.
Comments
today while walking my dogs, i found a bat laying in the grass. i brought him home, and placed him in a shoebox with some apple slices, a fly and some milk. he's still alive, either sleeping and barely moving or he's quite sick. he appears to be a little brown bat. he doesn't have the white fungus patch on his face, but he could be recently infected.. but being out during the daytime and cold weather would suggest he's affected. he has no cuts or scrapes or visible wounds.
i've emailed someone from the department of natural resources, and hoping maybe someone will read this and offer some advice. i'd like to help save the little thing. maybe there's a research or rescue center that would be willing to take him and study/help/save him.
i live in baltimore city. he's on my deck in the shoebox and if anything, a shoebox with apple slices and a nice washcloth is better than the ground.
Posted by: taylor mistroff | April 2, 2011 11:37 PM
today i found a bat outside on the ground. i've brought the little thing home, it's on my deck in a shoebox with a washcloth for warmth, apple slices and a bottle cap of milk.
he doesn't appear to have the white fungus patch on his muzzle but he's barely moving unless disturbed. he did, however, move across the box to climb on top of the apples. i was also able to catch and kill a fly to place in the box with him. being out during the day and the cold would suggest he has WNS or is at least quite sick.
he appears to be a little brown bat. he's quite small.
i sent an email to someone from the maryland department of natural resources who had recently issued a press release regarding WNS. i am hoping that by sending the email and posting here, someone might have some advice for me.
are there any research or rescue centers that would be of assistance? i'd hate to see him die if he could be saved, or at least studied for WNS to help save the millions of bats that could end up being infected.
OMG. You are the nicest person to do this! Too many people arefreaked out by the reputations of these tiny creatures. I hope the DNR has some advice for you! -- Susan
Posted by: taylor mistroff | April 2, 2011 11:42 PM
With the closing of all these bat caves we need to start erecting bat houses across the country. Bats are ecologically significant to the agricultural industry. Bat houses can provide these bats with a safe clean place to roost. Providing easy access to roosting areas for bats (bat houses) will lessen the stress on these already endangered and protected mammals. Be sure to mount only Certified Bat Houses such as the ones sold by www.lonestarwoodcraft.com or Bat conservation International. These houses are made to strict guidelines and criteria that have been proven to not only attract bats but support birthing colonies.
Posted by: Lone Star Woodcraft | April 3, 2011 2:50 PM