[NatureNS] "Disease killing bats by the thousands," from today's Herald

From: "Dusan Soudek" <soudekd@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 08:55:44 -0300
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Disease killing off bats by the thousands

By ANDY BLATCHFORD The Canadian Press
Sat. Mar 22 - 4:46 AM

MONTREAL - Wildlife scientists are scouring deserted mines in southern =
Quebec for traces of a deadly disease decimating bat populations in the =
U.S. northeast.

Thousands of cases of an illness American wildlife officials call =
white-nose syndrome have popped up in grottoes and abandoned mines in a =
half-dozen U.S. states.

White-nose syndrome often leaves behind skinny, dehydrated corpses that =
appear to have had their snouts dunked in a bucket of flour.

As U.S. wildlife specialists scramble to determine how many bats are =
infected with the previously unknown disease, Quebec biologists fear it =
might have crept north of the border.

"If we have this (disease), it could really threaten populations because =
there are huge mortality rates in the United States," said Jacques =
Jutras, a biologist with Quebec's wildlife department. "They're dying by =
the tens of thousands."

U.S. officials estimate a 50 to 90 per cent mortality rate among bats =
with the syndrome. They don't know if humans can contract the disease.

"This, I hope I can say, is a once-in-a-lifetime event," said Susi von =
Oettingen, an endangered species specialist with the U.S. Fish and =
Wildlife Service.

"We've never seen anything like this before with our bats, much less any =
other mammals, with a very large regional die-off."

Quebec wildlife scientists recently looked over hibernating bats in two =
abandoned mines on the outskirts of South Bolton, Que., near the Vermont =
border.

Preliminary results revealed no signs of the disease but the department =
plans to study dead specimens that were collected.

Two other mines are scheduled for inspection next week, with one quest =
requiring biologists to strap on snowshoes and trudge through seven =
kilometres of deep drifts to the entrance of one of the caverns, said =
Robert Patenaude of Quebec's wildlife department.

"It's the first time something like this has ever happened, and this =
really has taken everybody by surprise because it's not just one cave, =
it's been seen in a lot of different sites," Patenaude said of the U.S. =
discoveries.

The disease was first documented in New York in the winter of 2006-07, =
but U.S. wildlife officials only realized the depth of its impact with a =
series of checks on hibernation caves that began earlier this winter.

Scientists have since found the disease in Vermont, New Hampshire, =
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Last year, between 8,000 and 11,000 bats - more than half the local =
wintering population - died of the illness in the Albany, N.Y., area, =
according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

This year, biologists and cavers have reported signs of white-nose =
syndrome in at least 18 winter roosting sites in New York, Vermont and =
Massachusetts, said von Oettingen.

She said dead and dying bats were found unusually far from the safety of =
their caves in the middle of winter.

"Most of these bats have very low fat reserves, which means they've been =
using their energy during hibernation and they're basically starving," =
she said.

"They are actively trying to find food and drink but they're doing it at =
the wrong time of year."

Several species have been afflicted with the illness, including the =
federally endangered Indiana bat, von Oettingen said.

She said bats, which are insectivores in Quebec and the U.S. northeast, =
play a key role in the food chain.


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" =
size=3D3>Disease killing=20
off bats by the thousands<BR><FONT =
class=3DContent_Sub_Headlines></FONT><BR><FONT=20
class=3Dbyline>By ANDY BLATCHFORD The Canadian Press</FONT><BR><FONT=20
class=3Dbyline>Sat. Mar 22 - 4:46 AM</FONT><BR></FONT><FONT=20
class=3DContent_body-links>
<P>MONTREAL =97 Wildlife scientists are scouring deserted mines in =
southern Quebec=20
for traces of a deadly disease decimating bat populations in the U.S.=20
northeast.</P>
<P>Thousands of cases of an illness American wildlife officials call =
white-nose=20
syndrome have popped up in grottoes and abandoned mines in a half-dozen =
U.S.=20
states.</P>
<P>White-nose syndrome often leaves behind skinny, dehydrated corpses =
that=20
appear to have had their snouts dunked in a bucket of flour.</P>
<P>As U.S. wildlife specialists scramble to determine how many bats are =
infected=20
with the previously unknown disease, Quebec biologists fear it might =
have crept=20
north of the border.</P>
<P>"If we have this (disease), it could really threaten populations =
because=20
there are huge mortality rates in the United States," said Jacques =
Jutras, a=20
biologist with Quebec=92s wildlife department. "They=92re dying by the =
tens of=20
thousands."</P>
<P>U.S. officials estimate a 50 to 90 per cent mortality rate among bats =
with=20
the syndrome. They don=92t know if humans can contract the disease.</P>
<P>"This, I hope I can say, is a once-in-a-lifetime event," said Susi =
von=20
Oettingen, an endangered species specialist with the U.S. Fish and =
Wildlife=20
Service.</P>
<P>"We=92ve never seen anything like this before with our bats, much =
less any=20
other mammals, with a very large regional die-off."</P>
<P>Quebec wildlife scientists recently looked over hibernating bats in =
two=20
abandoned mines on the outskirts of South Bolton, Que., near the Vermont =

border.</P>
<P>Preliminary results revealed no signs of the disease but the =
department plans=20
to study dead specimens that were collected.</P>
<P>Two other mines are scheduled for inspection next week, with one =
quest=20
requiring biologists to strap on snowshoes and trudge through seven =
kilometres=20
of deep drifts to the entrance of one of the caverns, said Robert =
Patenaude of=20
Quebec=92s wildlife department.</P>
<P>"It=92s the first time something like this has ever happened, and =
this really=20
has taken everybody by surprise because it=92s not just one cave, it=92s =
been seen=20
in a lot of different sites," Patenaude said of the U.S. =
discoveries.</P>
<P>The disease was first documented in New York in the winter of =
2006-07, but=20
U.S. wildlife officials only realized the depth of its impact with a =
series of=20
checks on hibernation caves that began earlier this winter.</P>
<P>Scientists have since found the disease in Vermont, New Hampshire,=20
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.</P>
<P>Last year, between 8,000 and 11,000 bats =97 more than half the local =
wintering=20
population =97 died of the illness in the Albany, N.Y., area, according =
to the=20
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.</P>
<P>This year, biologists and cavers have reported signs of white-nose =
syndrome=20
in at least 18 winter roosting sites in New York, Vermont and =
Massachusetts,=20
said von Oettingen.</P>
<P>She said dead and dying bats were found unusually far from the safety =
of=20
their caves in the middle of winter.</P>
<P>"Most of these bats have very low fat reserves, which means they=92ve =
been=20
using their energy during hibernation and they=92re basically starving," =
she=20
said.</P>
<P>"They are actively trying to find food and drink but they=92re doing =
it at the=20
wrong time of year."</P>
<P>Several species have been afflicted with the illness, including the =
federally=20
endangered Indiana bat, von Oettingen said.</P>
<P>She said bats, which are insectivores in Quebec and the U.S. =
northeast, play=20
a key role in the food chain.</P>
<P></P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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