Mysterious Illness Killing American Bats

Rings of Fusarium mold can be seen on affected bats in New York and Vermont hibernation sites.

Bats hibernating in the caves and mines of the northeastern United States are dying off by the thousands due to a mysterious condition being called “white nose syndrome.”

The name refers to the white circles of fungus that have been found around the noses of affected bats.

Deaths were first discovered in caves of eastern New York in January 2007. Since then, between 8,000 and 11,000 have died in the largest die-off of bats due to disease documented in North America.

The disease has now spread to eight sites in New York and another in neighboring Vermont. Conservation groups have urged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ban the public from all bat hibernation sites to prevent the illness from being spread.

"We do not know how the disease is transmitted and whether there are any potential effects on humans," said Vermont wildlife biologist Scott Darling.

Bats are particularly vulnerable when they hibernate because they can hang together tightly by the thousands.

Photo: Vince Kapler

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