MACKINAC ISLAND – An invasive fungal disease is having a devastating effect on the once-thriving bat population on Mackinac Island.
According to a blog post published on March 31 by Mackinac State Historic Parks, White Nose Syndrome has resulted in a dramatic decrease in the Little Brown Bat population of the Straits region.
First detected in New York in February 2006, the disease caused by cold-loving fungus prevalent in bat habitats first came to the Straits during the winter of 2013-14.
By the winter of 2014-15 it was found throughout the Upper Peninsula. As of this year, WNS has killed bats in 29 states and five Canadian provinces.
In the past, bats had become a common evening sight on Mackinac Island, especially at Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park on the nearby mainland. However, according to post, those sightings have become quite rare.
Read More at MLive
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