Bats on the Edge of Extinction?!

By Carolina Villalobos

Is the bat population suddenly dying? Is it the end of the life of the only vital flying
mammal in the world? Recently, in the past four years, millions of bats have been facing death
due to a mysterious disease that has hunted and killed bats by the thousands in the northeastern
part of the U.S, including Pennsylvania. Scientists and researchers diagnosed the disease as
White Nose Syndrome (WNS) four years ago, but despite research, finding 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 is becoming a major concern as the unstoppable
disease spreads out West.
In the last two years, scientists and biologists have done research in Pennsylvania, visiting
caves, testing bats for WNS. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has taken action
to stop the spread of the disease in areas. Surprisingly, according to statistics, WNS in
Pennsylvania escalated in 2008-2009 with shocking discoveries of bat deaths inside and outside
of caves and mines. One biologist professor at Bucknell University commented in 2008, 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 with declines up to forty percent
and a high risk of becoming extinct.
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
for states running on low budgets to provide
resources. These resources include research Figure 1: Indiana bat affected by WNS. The shriveled
for targeting control and treatment, wing membranes of the bat show signs of dehydration
transmission and spread, and population caused by WNS fungus.
genetics. Moreover, funding is needed for
public outreach and communication efforts to combat the disease. The low state budget itself is
problematic, lacking adequate Congressional support due to extremely limited resources. If an
increase of resources is not reached by 2011, WNS will continue to spread leaving bats to die.
If it were not for bats, insect populations would 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 the blood-thirsty vampires depicted in 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 do. By using echolocation, bats sense and detect prey nearby
allowing them to hunt. Hunting at night reduces competition from other predators, which allows
bats to search for food such as moths or mosquito-like insects. Although not the most attractive
and cuddly animal in the world, it is no wonder bats fit in as one of the famous 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, nevertheless, 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, making guano, or bat droppings 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. They are saving crops
from harmful pests. 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 is 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. That is a lot of
pesticides! Lastly, bats serve as great pollinators of plants of
great economic and ecological value. Some commercial
Figure 2: Bat eating a moth in a products such as peaches, bananas, mangoes, and cashews
tropical forest 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.
Bad News
It was a beautiful day in Mifflin County hillside, Pennsylvania as a group of biology
students and professor cramped into a cave ready to perform field investigation in bat hibernation
patterns. Shining 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 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 were
found dead outside on the nearby the cave.
Four years ago (2006) in Howes Cave Albany, New York, the first discovery was made
when hundreds of bats were found dead by biologists exploring nearby caves in the winter. The
same physiological characteristics were seen on dead and live bats: 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 spreading from New
England into eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey and south towards Tennessee, 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. In the last
two years, WNS went from spreading in the
northeast to as far west as Missouri. In 2007-
2008, the syndrome began spreading to caves
and abandoned mines in Connecticut, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West
Virginia, and Tennessee. In 2009, WNS
syndrome settled 100 miles from Mammoth
Cave National Park in Kentucky. Just recently,
WNS was discovered dominating bat caves in
Missouri. (For a closer look of map go to

Figure 3: Map of states/counties affected

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 in close proximity to infected sites near New York, researchers zeroed-in
further to test the area. Not surprisingly, the disease surfaced 200 miles from Lehigh Valley.
Frustrated, researchers still had no clue how the fungus spreads from point A to point B. Once
WNS settled in Mifflin County, a battle was born in the struggle to stop the disease in numerous
caves and especially Shindle iron mine. According to researchers, a rough estimate of fifty
percent of the colony was affected in this iron mine. According to scientists, Mifflin County has
been the most devastated area, becoming the center of attention where higher mortality rates
have been encountered. 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 bound on the backs of bats
appearing like white snowflakes. However, as seen by researchers and biologists, the fungus
mostly appears on the ears, nose, and wing membranes the majority of the time.
Geomyces distructans, the name given to
the fungus by microbiologist David Blehert,
had not been known to man and science
before, remaining undiscovered until the
outbreak of WNS in hibernacula in 2006. It is
possible 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
just remained undiscovered for years in North Figure 3: WNS found on the muzzle of bats
America. A team of microbiologists led by
David Blehert and Andrea Gargas experimented and studied the fungus carefully monitoring its
growth at different temperatures (published in 2008). Surprisingly the slow growing fungus grew
better at 37F and 45F rather than at 75F (showed no growth). These cold temperatures were
similar to that found in infected bat caves.
In the winter seasons, bats usually hibernate deep in the
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 a reason to
show why the fungus grows 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

Figure 4: WNS is seen bound to the back

of a hibernating bat
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 many biologists and
researchers, there is strong evidence 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 studying and testing periodic arousals of bats during hibernation.
Strangely, bats 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 (Figure 1). According to Reeder, Sometimes we find dead bats
in a ring around trees. Were not sure exactly, but I think their body fat gets so lean they wake up
and think its spring and its time to feed, but dont 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 at seeing 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 bats 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.
Figure 5: Scientist discovers dead bats in Working alongside with Dr. Reeder, Greg Turner, a
winter near barks of trees biologist with the Game Commissions Wildlife
Diversity Section, had also investigated and researched
the Mifflin County caves in 2008 counting the number of bats that so far survived in the cave.
Thered be about 2,000 to 3,000 bats in the area says Turner. So far, weve 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 hibernationusing 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, an abandoned iron mine in Mifflin County 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 dont want to sugarcoat it
explains Dr. Reed, but were seeing 80-95% mortality in some of these caves and if we come
back next year, Im worried that another 90% mortality could be expected. How long can that go
on? Frustrated and overwhelmed, Drs. 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 look for a cure, Drs. 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 were used on bats. 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 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 or even livestock, the fungal spores are capable of
clinging onto clothing or fur. To make bat hibernacula safe, 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 and 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. Without
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, in 2010 Congress 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 its 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 its 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, OBannon 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 Janes 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