The fungus that causes a deadly bat disease called white-nose syndrome has made its way to Utah. The highly infectious disease has killed millions of bats in North America since it was discovered in 2007.
The fungus was first detected in the West in Wyoming in 2021 and in Colorado in 2023 and continues traveling westward through contact between bat populations.
Recently, Canyonlands National Park in Utah announced that the fungus was found in an abandoned mine in the Needles District.
“One of the two samples collected was collected from a Townsend's big eared bat who was not showing any signs of illness,” said Karen Henker, a public affairs specialist for Canyonlands National Park.
“So, that's why we say we have confirmed the presence of the fungus itself, but not the actual disease, white-nose syndrome.
The other sample was collected from the floor of the former mine, which is now a bat roost, but biologists with the National Park Service say they don’t have enough data based on just two samples.
“I believe some samples collected in La Sal's just came back negative. Having found two positives and some negatives, I think it's far too early to draw conclusions about what might happen next,” explained Henker.
There is a difference between the presence of the fungus and white-nose syndrome. While the fungus is not harmful to humans, livestock, or pets, it has killed millions of bats across North America, spreading to 40 states and nine Canadian provinces. In the eastern U.S., where large roosting colonies of bats are common, the disease has decimated some bat populations.
“Bats are absolutely critical to a lot of habitats, especially ours. I know they're not maybe the most popular animal for some people, but they perform untold ecological services and benefits in their habitats,” said Henker. “I mean, imagine how many more mosquitoes we would have if we did not have 14 species of bats helping us out every night eating their weight in bugs?”
Bats are a crucial part of the ecosystem, saving U.S. farmers an estimated $3.7 billion annually by reducing the need for pesticides. A recent study has linked the decline in bat populations, driven by white-nose syndrome, to a troubling rise in child mortality rates.
Areas hardest hit by the disease experienced an 8 percent increase in infant mortality, a trend researchers suggest is tied to heightened pesticide use. In these regions, farmers applied 30 percent more pesticides on average compared with areas that maintain healthier bat populations.
Bats don't necessarily die from the fungal infection itself. The problem lies in the stress the infection causes, compounding the challenges bats already face. Bats rely on a state of torpor during the winter months to survive. But when they are infected, the stress wakes them from this vital hibernation, disrupting their energy conservation and leading to fatal consequences.
“And when they're awake, they need water. They need to perform metabolic functions that normally they'd be hibernating and not doing. So bats who have really bad infections with this fungus will typically die of dehydration or starvation over the winter,” explained Henker.
There have been no reported cases of white-nose syndrome in humans, but people can still inadvertently transport fungal spores. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service advises climbers and spelunkers to disinfect their clothing and equipment after visiting bat habitats. They recommend washing clothes at 131 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 10 minutes to kill the spores. Additionally, gear should be disinfected with bleach, and any sediment should be removed from shoes to prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome.
“Ever since white-nose syndrome was identified, people in the caving community … established protocols for cleaning gear. But it's not just the caving community, right? People who just like to explore could be in places, mines, what have you, where bats could be present, where the fungus could be present,” Henker said.
“Whitenosesyndrome.org (has) very clear guidance for how to decontaminate gear before you ever use it, and then also after you use it.”
There are currently no efforts to remove the fungus from the affected mine. Once the fungus takes hold in an environment, it's difficult to eradicate, so the focus remains on limiting its spread to new areas.
“To my knowledge though, there certainly is no cure, and I'm not sure that there even are methods for removal. Fungal spores are pretty tiny,” said Henker.
Henker says that people should never touch bats, but if they see dead bats or bats that are acting strangely, they should contact the bat biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Copyright 2024 KZMU.
This story was shared via Rocky Mountain Community Radio, a network of public media stations in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico, including Aspen Public Radio.