A Fungus Among Us Is Threatening Idaho Bats
Have you heard the news? There is a FUNGUS AMONG US and it is impacting bats in the State of Idaho. Typically, we think that bats are kind of creepy and really, we have no desire to hangout with them. If these bats are sick, however, do we want them zipping around when they aren't well? Nah, we sure don't.
The fungus is called Pseudogymnoascus destructans and no, we can't even be sure if we are pronouncing it correctly. It causes a deadly disease to develop among bats known as "deadly white nose syndrome". It sounds like something from our nightmares. The fungus has been found in caves just northwest of Bear Lake.
So what's going to be done about the issue? Well, people a whole lot smarter than us are going to be working on the problem that is being seen nationwide. According to a news report by East Idaho News, wildlife agencies are going to be:
- Increasing public outreach and communication surrounding visitor screenings and limiting human activity in "bat roosting areas".
- Additional management will be implemented including building large bat houses that can be used as safe hibernation sites
- Aggressive surveillance of the problem with Pd by the Idaho Fish and Game
Although totally scientific in nature, we do hope that our local experts can keep our bats--and humans near them--safe from this fungus. It's BATS out there in these caves!
Interested in learning more about this "White Nose Syndrome" that is killing MILLIONS of bats across the nation? Check out the feature video below:
7 Scary Idaho Animals That Might Not Kill You, And 1 That Will
Gallery Credit: Marco
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