Draft Article

Bat Populations on the Brink of Extinction?!

Is the bat population all of sudden dying? Is it the end of the lives of the only vital flying
mammal in the world? Recently, over the last four years, millions of bats have been facing death
due to a mysterious disease that has hunted and killed bats by the thousands not only in the upper
northeastern part of the U.S such as New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts but
Pennsylvania alone. Scientists and researchers four years ago diagnosed the disease as White
Nose Syndrome (WNS), but further research to find a cure for this disease remains unknown. It
is certain that in the past four years (2006-2010) WNS has almost wiped out large bat
populations in the northeast and it has become a concern as the disease is becoming unstoppable
spreading out West as well.
In the past two years, research has been gathered by biologists and researchers in
Pennsylvania visiting caves testing bats for WNS. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Game
Commission has taken action to stop the spread of the disease in more areas. Surprisingly,
according to statistics WNS in Pennsylvania has increased in the last two years as more shocking
discoveries have been made with more and more findings of bat deaths inside caves and outside
on the landscape. According to one biologist professor at Bucknell University, “the mounting of
deaths is appalling and overwhelming that there is a growing urgency and pressure to find a cure
or use of treatments to halt the disease.” Confirmed bat species affected by WNS include the
Eastern pipistrelle, little brown, northern long-eared, the small footed bat, and Indiana bat.
Among these species of bats the federally endangered Indiana bat, native to Pennsylvania, is the
only bat suffering most from WNS having the potential to become extinct.
Furthermore, the Center for Biological Diversity along with other agencies, scientists, and
researchers have all contributed to call Congress for help to appropriate $5 million to confront
the bat disease. The pressure of funding for WNS has become a challenge due to states running
on low budgets to provide resources such as research for targeting control and treatment,
transmission and spread, and population genetics. Moreover, funding for public outreach and
communication efforts is needed to combat the disease as well; however, the low state budget
itself is problematic having critical Congressional support due to extreme limited resources. If an
increase of resources is not reached by 2011, WNS will continue to spread, hence, leaving bats to
die.
If it were not for bats, insect populations will sky rocket increasing the spread of malignant
diseases, agriculture will have an enormous impact by lowering its productivity due to insect
infestation, and habitats and niches in rainforests will decline without bat pollination of flowers
and fertilization of fecal matter to replenish ecosystems.

Found in every continent except Antarctica, bats prefer the warm climates of tropical
rainforests or tropical dry forest biomes. Only active at night in search for food, bats carry the
fearful impression by people as being blood-sucking vampires based on classic horror films.
Most people question why do bats fly at night and not in the daytime? Bats have a different way
of “seeing” than other mammals can. By using echolocation, bats can sense and detect prey
nearby allowing them to hunt. Hunting at night reduces competition from other predators, which
allows bats to easily search for food such as night flying insects (moths/mosquito) rich in protein.
Although not the most attractive and cuddly animal in the world, it is no wonder bats fit in as one
of the major horror movie icons.
Having lived and survived for up to 50 million years, bats have become a great source and
helpful hand in improving agricultural aspects, never the less, replenishing ecosystems. It might
be surprising to some to find the bat as one of the most beneficial helpers of our ecosystem.
Known as “farmers of the tropics” bats can fertilize clearings of rainforests, covering large
distances in one night. For some night-foraging bats, their diet mostly consists of berries, nectar,
and insects, thus the guano, or bat dropping produced becomes a rich natural fertilizer for plants.
Seeds dropped by bats can account for up to ninety-five percent of the first new growth of
renewed forest! Thus, the bat provides shelter for newly growing plants and therefore more
plants are able to provide food and cover for wildlife species near the base of the food chain.
Furthermore, having the harmful and crop-damaging pests
on their menu, bats are not only saving our lives from
diseases, but also the healthy food that agriculture grows for
us. Bats can consume up to twenty-five percent of their body
weight on insects in one night. A single little-brown bat can
consume up to 1000 mosquito-sized insects in one night,
that is, 694 tons of insects in a year! Surprisingly, a bat can
save billions of dollars in the agricultural economy by
preventing pests from targeting crops. For instance, the
Mexican free-tailed bat found in Mexico and Texas was
seen as a benefit feeding on the corn earworm moth, which
destroys crops. It was estimated that this moth caused more
than $1 billion worth of worldwide crop damage in a year
and cost south-central farmers in Texas $1.7 million a year
in pesticide costs. Lastly, bats serve as great pollinators of
plants of great economic and ecological value. Some
Figure 1: Bat eating moth in a commercial products such as peaches, bananas, mangoes,
tropical forest and cashews all depend on bat pollinators in order to grow.
Without bat pollination, plants would not be able to produce
seeds and a genetic-diversity of cross-pollinated plants will remain nonexistent.
Without bats, the ecosystems will no longer look the same again. “Losing bats is probably
going to upset the ecological balance” says Mollie Matteson, an advocate with the bat
conservation group. Biology professor, Deehan Reeder also points out that “bats play a vital role
in the environment and without them our lives would be quite different. That loss could lead to
increased pesticide use or the spread of West Nile virus.”

It was a beautiful day in Mifflin County hillside, Pennsylvania as a group of biology

students and professor cramped into a performing field investigation in bat hibernation patterns.
Illuminating the light onto a cluster of bats, the group spotted white mustaches of fungus on the
bat faces along with the same white fungus on the wing membranes. In other areas of the cave,
some bats remained isolated from the cluster of bats. According to the group, when checking out
the cluster, they suspiciously reported that the isolated bats were found dead, lying stiff on the
cave walls or on the ground. Surprisingly, according to the group, over a hundred more bats
where found dead outside on the nearby the cave.
Four years ago (2006) in Albany, New York, it was the first discovery ever made when
hundreds of bats were found dead by biologists exploring nearby caves in the winter. The same
physiological characteristics were seen on the bats dead or alive: the white fungus appearing on
their muzzle and wing membranes (sometimes appearing on ears). As more and more
investigations were made by biologists visiting caves, more dead bats were found on the
landscape near or inside the caves. The white fungal disease took off into spreading from New
England and south to into eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which soon gave the outbreak
the name White- nose Syndrome.
White Nose Syndrome (WNS) is a deadly fungal disease that affects bats in hibernacula,
cave or mines where bats hibernate. For the past four years, WNS has been spreading affecting
bats from New England to as far west as Missouri. In 2006, the first case of WNS was
discovered Howe’s Cave in Albany, New York
state. In 2007-2008, the syndrome began
spreading to caves and abandoned mines in
Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and West Virginia.
In 2009, WNS syndrome settles 100 miles from
Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky
while in 2010 WNS dominates caves in
Missouri. After DNR biologists visited caves in
Pendleton County, West Virginia late January,
confirmation via email of WNS was sent to
Natural Resources wildlife biologist Craig
Stihler. The Great Smokey Mountains National
Park in Tennessee was targeted by the fungus as
well when confirmation of a little brown bat
with the disease was collected while hibernating
in the park’s White Oak Blowhole cave, the
largest known Indiana bat hibernacula in Figure 2: Map of states/counties affected
Tennessee. (For a closer look of map go to by WNS in the northeastern part of the
United States

http://scienceblogs.com/zooillogix/2010/04/white_nose_syndrome.php)
In 2008 however, researchers and biologists were stunned by the statistical bat deaths
encountered in Pennsylvania. First identified in the northeastern part of the state such as
Lackawanna County, WNS, according to biologists, was only detected on one bat. Likewise,
only one little-brown bat in Centre County was found with the disease, so very little concern was
carried in those areas. Early that year, the Game Commission monitored 1000 caves and mines
from Fayette, Blair, and Luzerne counties to test WNS samples in bats. Since Lehigh Valley is
located farther north, being closer to infected sites near New York, researchers zeroed-in further
testing for WNS. Apparently with no surprise, the disease surfaced 200 miles from the Lehigh
Valley meanwhile frustrated researchers still had no clue how the fungus spreads from point A to
point B. Once WNS settled in Shindle mine Mifflin County, the battle was on in the struggle to
stop WNS having a rough estimate of fifty percent of the colony already affected. According to
scientists, Mifflin County has been the most devastating. “If I was going to put white-nose in this
state, Shindle is not where I would have picked” says biology professor Reeder. “I fully would
have expected WNS to spread in even more areas of the state.”

The white fungus, belonging in the genus Geomyces distructans, usually appears on the
muzzle (around the nose area) on bats. Up close, the small patches appear like fuzzy white mold,
such as that found on rotten fruit. In other cases, the fungus is seen on the backs of bats and
appears like white snowflakes bound to the back. However, as seen by researchers and
biologists, the fungus appears on the ears, nose, and wing membranes the majority of the time.
Geomyces distructans, the name given to
the fungus, had not been known to man and
science before, remaining undiscovered until
the outbreak of WNS in caves and mines in
2006. It is given the possibility that European
travelers had introduced the fungus in North
America when visiting nearby caves by
carrying the fungal spores on their clothing.
Yet, little is known if the fungus came from a
different country or remained undiscovered by
residing in the cool temperatures in caves in Figure 3: WNS found on the muzzle of bats
North America. A team of scientists led by
David Blehert and Andrea Gargas experimented and studied the fungus carefully monitoring its
growth and different temperatures (published in 2008). Surprisingly the slow growing fungus
grew better at 37°F and 45°F rather than at 75°F (showed no growth). These cold temperatures
were similar to that found in infected bat caves.
In the winter seasons, bats usually hibernate in the deep
darkness of caves or mines and awaken once or twice every
15-30 days to urinate, drink, and mate. Interestingly, bats
lower their temperatures to a range of 35-50° F barely above
the ambient cave temperature while simultaneously
lowering their immune response. Since Geomyces
distructans grows in cold temperatures, there is the
explanation why it is growing on bats. With white nose
syndrome affecting bats, hibernating behavior in bats has
changed dramatically. According to witnesses in Chester
Mines, Massachusetts in 2009, bats were spotted active in
the months of January-through mid March flying during the
day looking for food and water. In Mifflin county mines in
Pennsylvania, bats were interestingly and strangely
discovered dead on the snow in a ring around trees. For
Figure 4: WNS is seen bound to the back many biologists and researchers, there is strong evidence
of a hibernating bat that WNS has affected hibernating behavior in bats.
Working at a lab at Bucknell University in
Pennsylvania, biology professor Dr. DeeAnn Reeder studies and performs field work on immune
responses in hibernating bats. Over the past three years, Reeder has been questionably studying
and testing periodic arousals of bats during hibernation. Strangely enough, bat arousal time
affected with WNS rouse bats every three or four days depleting their fat reserves, which
explains why bats appear dehydrated and most of the time emaciated. When a bat is dehydrated
the wing membranes appear shriveled up similar to when a leaf has not been exposed to water in
a long time. According to Reeder, “Sometimes we find dead bats in a ring around trees. We’re
not sure exactly, but I think their body fat gets so lean they wake up and think it’s spring and it’s
time to feed, but don’t find any insects in winter, roost in a tree, die and fall.” While visiting the
caves in Mifflin County with students last year, Reeder has felt overwhelmed to see these
creatures die in increasing numbers. Reeder hypothesized
that bats have an immune-surveillance system which
means that during hibernation, bats increase their body
temperature to fight off any diseases and then lower their
temperature again. These periodical warm-ups are what
boost the bat’s physiological system. WNS however,
arouses bats, thus leading bats to awaken frequently
causing them to expend their stored energy in search for
food. It is unusual for a bat to hibernate at the mouth of
the cave or mine when it should be found deeper in the
hibernacula. The behavior in shifting toward the mine or
cave entrance is a major sign of WNS as reported by
scientists. Since affected bats arouse frequently, it makes
sense that it makes it easier for bats to travel shorter
distances from the hibernacula to outside in search of
food.
Working alongside with Dr. Reeder, Greg Turner, a
biologist with the Game Commission’s Wildlife
Diversity Section, had also investigated and researched
the Mifflin County mines in 2008 counting the number of
Figure 5: Scientist discovers dead bats in bats that so far had survived in the cave. “There’d be
winter near barks of trees about 2,000 to 3,000 bats in the area. So far, we’ve
counted about 500 and a lot of them are dead. This past
fall we began to examine the health of our bats to see if they came into hibernation…using
telemetry gear and data-loggers to monitor the body temperatures and arousal patterns…”
According to Reeder, the two biologists along with the Pennsylvania Game Commission
estimated about 80-90% mortality in some of the caves in the area in 2008. On December 20 of
that year, bats in Shindle, a village in central Pennsylvania started showing WNS signs. Nine
days later, there was an estimate of 150 out of 2,200 bats in the mine affected and by January 5,
2009 half of the wintering colony showed signs of the disease as more bats shifted towards the
entrance of their hibernacula. For Reed and Turner, bats infected with WNS are facing a very
long recovery due to their low reproductive rates. Bats produce only one pup per year, so it is a
challenge, especially for the federally-endangered Indiana bat to keep up caring for its offspring
and simultaneously competing with WNS. “I don’t want to sugarcoat it” explains Dr. Reed, “but
we’re seeing 80-95% mortality in some of these caves and if we come back next year, I’m
worried that another 90% mortality could be expected. How long can that go on?” Frustrated and
overwhelmed, Dr. Reed and Turner along with other Scientists began searching for treatments to
cure WNS and with crisis level escalating, something has to be done. With the instinct to search
for a treatment, Dr. Reed and Turner in Bucks County started treating infected bats with two
antifungal agents: Terbinafine (found in athletes foot) and an unidentified compound
administered in vapor, which they refer to as “Agent C.” The two treatments are safe while
administering them in low doses. According to Turner, the goal for these treatments is to see if
bats have a chance of increasing survival rates recalling “It was the first obvious thing to try”.
However, the treatment caused an uncooperative behavior from the bats responding negatively to
the treatment, causing the bats to groom themselves excessively to get rid of the agents. As of
now, the use of antifungal agents to treat WNS is as far as scientists can get due to limiting
resources to treat the disease and lack of funding. If scientists decide to use the antifungal agents
in caves and mines, the results could worsen, for ecosystems near the hibernacula could get
harmed.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) has take action to prevent the spread of WNS.
Caverns including the Aitkin Cave, a well known hibernation site in a 43-acre preserve in Mifflin
County, PA have been banned entry and are closed to the public. Although the disease is not
contagious and harmful to humans, pets and even livestock, the fungal spores are capable of
clinging onto clothing or fur. To make bat hibernacula save, it is better to keep caves closed to
prevent further spread and contamination. Caving in the northeast and areas where WNS has
settled, has been banned by the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest
Service and The Nature
Conservancy to prevent further
spread of WNS.
The Game Commission in
general performs field work in
caves instate every year. In the
past two years (2008-2010)
however, the Commission has
dived further surveying 20 to 30
hibernacula between January and
March monitoring for WNS.
Moreover, the agency assisted
researchers in investigating bats
by looking for normal metabolic
rate of hibernating bats, studying
normal immune response
capabilities of bats, and Figure 6: Sign posted near infected hibernacula or in areas
measuring if there are sufficient protecting hibernacula from WNS.
fat stores in bats before hitting
hibernation. It is important, not only for the Game Commission, but biologists and bat
researchers to note these hibernating characteristics in bats since hibernation has become critical
ever since the spread of WNS.
In other respects, pressure keeps rising in the need to call for Congressional help. With not
enough money to fund for resources instate such as research to find better treatments and hire
more lab and field workers to help out, the challenge to beat WNS will never come close. In
2009, bat expert Dr. Thomas Kunz along with collaboration of scientists and wildlife managers,
a testimony was presented to Congress to allow $45 million of funding over a five-year period
 for WNS with $17 million in the first year. With $5 million in appropriated funds, resources
could be available for research; however, Congress in 2010 only appropriated $1.9 million for
WNS. Just recently, a link posted on the web shows how the public can take action to prevent
WNS by sending a letter to congressional members asking for the support to help fund WNS and
prevent the spread of the disease.
http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3815 .

The unexpected mortality rate of bats across the northeastern part of the United States has
caused one of the largest declines of wildlife in the past century in North America. The primary
predators of insects including pests could potentially be seeing the end. In the United States 25
out 46 species of bats, that is half of all bat species, are at risk. “White-nose has killed 1 million
bats throughout the Northeast” says Reeder. “If it remains unchecked, affected species could be
wiped out within four years.”

Citations

Rick Steelhammer."White-nose disease confirmed in Pendleton bats. " McClatchy –

Tribune Business News 25 February 2009 ABI/INFORM Dateline, ProQuest.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=2&did=1651007761&SrchMode=2&sid=2&Fmt=3&
Inst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1274631261&clientId=9874 18
May.2010.
• Mediocre
•Talks about the spread of WNS in bats in five different states in the northeastern part of
the US and it’s risk of expansion to the west.
•Info is useful by stating where the disease has spread and how can it affect people of the
States.

Christopher Baxter. "White-nose syndrome killing bats: Flying mammals are found dying of
mysterious fungus in Pennsylvania mine. "McClatchy - Tribune Business News
23 January 2009 ABI/INFORM Dateline, ProQuest.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3&did=1631479231&SrchMode=2&sid=2&Fmt=3&
Inst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1274631261&clientId=9874 . 18
May. 2010.
•Mediocre
•Some caves have been affected in the PA and the PGC begins to grow concern of bat
populations beginning to decrease
• This article is helpful by showing statistics of bat populations declining in 2008 when the
WNS began to arise.

"WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME SURFACES IN PENNSYLVANIA."US Fed News Service,

Including US State News 22 Jan. 2009,General Interest Module, ProQuest.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=5&did=1635569601&SrchMode=2&sid=2&Fmt=3&
Inst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1274631261&clientId=9874. 18
May.2010.
• Good
• Two Biologists from Bucknell University and from the Game Commission have been
working on monitoring bat behavior, metabolic activity, and hibernation characteristics of
bats
•This article is helpful by explaining what the two biologists have discovered in the last
two years in terms of bat behavior linking to WNS

Morgan Simmons. "Bat disease spreading much faster than expected. " McClatchy –Tribune
Business News 23 April 2010 ABI/INFORM Dateline, ProQuest.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=2016571241&SrchMode=2&sid=1&Fmt=3&
Inst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1274636065&clientId=9874. May
2010.
• Mediocre
• WNS confirmed in Tenessee
• there is proof that WNS has reached the caves in Tenessee. The article talks about
some of the common bat species that are affected.

Bhattacharya, S. "Murder in the bat cave." New Scientist 27 Mar. 2010: Research Library
Core, ProQuest.http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=2015960801&SrchMode=2
sid=2&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1274636781&cli
ntId=9874 18 May. 2010.
• Good
•Bat hibernation characteristics
•This article talks about some basic facts about bat hibernation, such as what is the
normal bat hibernating period and what is abnormal of bats hibernating with WNS

Theodore H. Fleming, Cullen Geiselman, and W. John Kress

The evolution of bat pollination: a phylogenetic perspective
Ann. Bot. 2009 104: 1017-1043.
• Mediocre
•Bat Pollination
•Helpful by describing how bats contribute to the ecosystem by pollinating flowers which allow
for the production of more plants eaten by mammals or other species.

Malawsky,Nick. “Bat Disease Confirmed Here.” Centre Daily Times State College PA: pg 1
Newsbank Access World News. http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw
search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=12
9107E571C61C0&p_docnum=1&p_queryname=1. Saturday April 11, 2009.
• Good
 • WNS syndrome investigated and confirmed in Centre County PA
• The article talks about the discovery of WNS in Centre County, Mifflin county, and areas close to
Centre County where caves have been infected.

ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Bat Disease Could Spread into West.” Erie Times-News PA: ETN.
NewbankBank Access World News. http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw
search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=1
F94BF6294264A8&p_docnum=2&p_queryname=6. Saturday, May 8, 2010.
• Mediocre
•White Nose Syndrome is spreading west
• Caves are closing down in the west to prevent further contamination of the fungus. The article
talks about how humans to prevent the spread of WNS and how can the fungus spread from one
area to another.

Hayes, John. CAN BATS BE SAVED? - A LITTLE-UNDERSTOOD FUNGUS IS KILLING

THEM AT AN ALARMING RATE. Pittsburg Post-Gazette PA Two Star: A-1.
NewsBank Access World News. http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw
search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=12E4E8C
6123E300&p_docnum=1&p_queryname=8. Sunday, March 7, 2010.
•Good
•Research on bats being made on behavior, WNS, how far researchers have gone with finding a
cure for bats
•article is helpful because it gives me some information on eating, hibernating, and survival
characteristics of bats and how WNS has changed these normal bat behaviors.

Jackson, Kent. “Illness Machines Threatens Bats.” Standard-Speaker Hazleton, PA Daily: Section B
pg12. NewsBank Access World News. http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw
search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=12E4E8C
6123E300&p_docnum=1&p_queryname=8. Sunday, March 7, 2010.
• Good
• Cause of how WNS ended up in the US
• Researchers have come to the conclusion that it’s possible that WNS was first introduced in
in America by European travelers which might have carried and brought the disease from
European caves. This article is helpful by explaining how exactly did researchers found out
how the illness was first discovered.

Baress, Cecilia. Biologist Try White-Nose Treatments on Bats. Pattsville Republican,The &
Evening Herald PA Daily: section A pg 1. NewsBank Access World News
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iwsearch/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p
action=doc&p_docid=12DEC744CA79ABD0&p_docnum=3&p_queryname=14. Sunday, March, 7,
2010.
•Mediocre
 •Investigating the fungus causing WNS
•helpful article which talks about how two biologists from the Penns. Game Commission investigate
what anti-fungal agents (used in athletes foot) can be used to treat the fungus causing
WNS and can be useful to spray in caves to detain the fungus.

K.,Glen. White Nose Syndrome.2009, O’Bannon State Park, Indiana. Accessed 5 Aug.2009.
http://www.coasttocoastam.com/photo/photo-of-the-day/40556
•Good
• Image of a sign saying “Caves Closed”
•This image is helpful to let the reader know that Game Commissions, not only in PA but in the
northeastern part of the US, caves are closing down to prevent further contamination of bats by
the public

Hicks, Al. White Nose Syndrome in Bats.

http://wildwildweather.com/forecastblog/2009/05/welcome-to-the-what-the-anthropocene/
•Good
•Image of bats with WNS
• Image is helpful to give the reader an idea of what bats look like with the illness

Butchkoski, Cal. WNS Occurrence by County District. 2010. Accessed 1 April.2010.

http://scienceblogs.com/zooillogix/2010/04/white_nose_syndrome.php
•Excellent
• Image of counties affected by WNS from 2006-2010
• Image is helpful to give the reader an idea of how badly WNS has spread in counties in the
northeastern part of the US

Chosy, Julia. Dead Bats. 2010. Accessed 8 April 2010.

http://scienceblogs.com/zooillogix/2010/04/white_nose_syndrome.php
•Excellent
•Image of dead bats in winter
• Image is helpful to allow the reader to see the outcome of WNS in bats in their unusual behavior
to stop hibernating in winter and be active in the months of January-mid March.

Crocoll, Scott. Dead Indiana Bat. 2009, Rodendal, NY. Accessed 27 Jan 2009.
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/2009/feb/White-Nose-Syndrome-Spreading-Among
Bats.html
•Excellent
•Image of wing of dehydrated bat
•Image is helpful to allow the reader to see how WNS has affected bats in that bats lose a lot of
water that causes their wings to crumble up due to loss of water in their bodies.

Graboski, Robyn. Personal INTERVIEW. 20 May 2010.

•Good
• She talks about WNS in bats
 • This interview was helpful in understanding a little more about WNS. She talks about how
WNS has been confirmed as a disease not an illness. The PGC has prohibited Wildlife Rehabs to
rehabilitate bats.

Lindholm, Jane. “Scientists Racing to Protect Bats from WNS.” Vermont Public Radio. 6 March
2009. http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/84295/. 20 May 2010
•Mediocre
•reporter Jane Lindholm talks about her trip with biologist to visit a cave hibernacula in New
England (Vermont) to study how badly bats have been affected by WNS
• this article is helpful in that it gives several statistics of bat deaths at the mouth of the cave. Also
it gives several details of Jane’s experience of what she observed when she visited the cave.

Science Daily. “WNS In Bats: First Prevention Proposed by Ecologists.” Science News.10 March
2009. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305102709.htm. 20 May 2010
• Mediocre
•The article shows statistics of number of bats that have died
•This article is helpful because it talks about ways that one can solve the issue to stop WNS

Volks, Tom. “Geomyces Destructants.” TomVolkFungi. May 2009.

http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/may2009.html. 20 May 2010
•Good
•Info on fungus Geomyces-the killing fungus affecting bats undergoing WNS
• this article is helpful by explaining detailed information on fungus Geomyces such as: where it
grows, what suitable environments is the fungus resistant to, why has it been killing bats in
caves, etc.

White Nose Syndrome in Bats. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Servies

n.d.http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html. 20 May 2010
•Good
•Frequently asked questions of WNS (what is it, where has it been observed, ect.)
•This article is helpful by explaining the signs of WNS in bats, what can a person do when finding
a bat with WNS, what threats does it impose on humans, & how WNS has endangered the
Indiana Bat.

DeCoskey, Jason L. “Re:White Nose Syndrome Update.” Message to Robyn Graboski. August 3,
2009. Email
• Mediocre
•the email talks about how the PGC (Pennsylvania Game Commission) is trying to be actively
involved in WNS surveillance.
• describes what has been discovered of the fungus on bats in PA and what the bats are looking like
in the caves.

Williams, Lisa. “WNS Update for Rehabbers.” Message to Robyn Graboski. December 3, 2009.
Email.
 •Mediocre
•The email talks about observations made by the PGC about flying bats I the daytime, which is
unusual.
•There are indications of unusual behavior such as flying during the day instead of night.
•There has been in an increase in the number of bats confirmed with WNS in several counties.

Graboski, Robyn. “ Help save Bats from Deadly Epidemic.” Message to CWC-Supporter Lists.
May 21,2010. Email.
• Good
• Funding of WNS to Congress help fund WNS and stop the epidemic as soon as possible
• What can you do as a person to try save bats from WNS
• Statistics of number of bats in popular National Parks caves that have died

“All About Bat/Intro to Bats.” Bat Conservation International. n.d.

http://www.batcon.org/index.php/all-about-bats/intro-to-bats/subcategory/18.html. 23 May. 2010.
• Good
• Talks about how and why bats are important in our ecosystem
• Bats play a role as pollinators, pest control, & seed dispersal agents