White-nose Syndrome has raced across the eastern U.S. and Canada , killing more than 7 million bats and is following the same pattern in Wisconsin.
DNR mammal ecologist Paul White says the fungus that causes the problem were found in 24 of 28 winter nesting areas in Wisconsin, mostly in southern Wisconsin….
“…..populations have declines from 100 percent to 40 percent depending on the infection year and when they found the disease itself….”
The fungus comes into the winter nesting areas and causes the bats to wake prematurely when hibernating and White says most of them then die from exposure or other factors. He says at this point there is no known way to either slow or stop the spread of the disease. He says people should simply stay out of the areas where the bats hibernate. White says most of the bats that populate the Northwoods hibernate in Upper Peninsula mining caves, which are also severely affected…
Read more at WXPR Local. Public. Radio
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