White-nose syndrome of bats

Article By:

Whitaker, John O., Jr. Department of Biology, Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana.

Last reviewed:2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.YB100029

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is causing major mortality in bats of the northeastern United States, particularly little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) and the federally endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis). This syndrome was first documented by a photograph taken in Howe Cave, Schoharie County, New York, on February 16, 2006, and was observed in a few bats in 2006 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC). However, in the winter of 2006–2007, an estimated 9000–11,000 bats died in four caves in New York. Many of the dead bats had white fungus growing around their nose (Fig. 1), so the ailment was termed “white-nose syndrome.” Since then, WNS has been brought to the attention of the research community, and investigations have been undertaken to determine the cause of WNS and to find the means to control WNS.

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