The ‘white nose syndrome’ that has been killing off bats in America is spreading. Previously reported in New York, bats have now been found with the mysterious disease in Pennsylvania.

“To date, no dead bats have been found in Pennsylvania,” said Carl Roe, the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s executive director, last week (press release). “That’s a plus, but it comes with no promise of what will or won’t follow. In New York and New England, the disorder seems to arouse bats from hibernation prematurely. Once they depart from caves and mines, they quickly sap their energy reserves and die on the landscape.”

Things aren’t any better back where the problem was first noticed. The Philadelphia Inquirer says:

A day after Pennsylvania officials confirmed the presence of a fungus linked to the deaths of tens of thousands of bats in New England, New Jersey officials yesterday revealed that the situation was much worse on their side of the river. Hundreds of bats are dying at two Morris County caves that in winter are home to the state’s two largest hibernating bat populations. The populations had looked fine in November.

“Bats have survived for more than 50 million years because they are tough mammals,” Lisa Williams, a Game Commission wildlife diversity biologist, told the Boston Globe. “But they have become increasingly vulnerable. White-Nose now presents more uncertainty for bats. Quite frankly, we’re not sure yet that we can help them survive this threat.”

Previously

Fungus linked to bat deaths identified – October 31, 2008

‘White Nose Syndrome’ threatens America’s bats – January 31, 2008

Photo: Al Hicks / USGS