Deadly Bat Disease Spreads to Six States...

Fox News ^ | Feb 3rd, 2009

[TaraP]

ROSENDALE, N.Y. — A mysterious and deadly bat disease discovered just two winters ago in a few New York caves has now spread to at least six northeastern states, and scientists are scrambling to find solutions before it spreads across the country.

White-nose syndrome poses no health threat to people, but some scientists say that if bat populations diminish too much, the insects and crop pests they eat could flourish.

Researchers recently identified the fungus that creates the illness' distinctive white smudges on the noses and wings of hibernating bats, but they don't yet know how to stop the disease from killing off caves full of the ecologically important animals.

"The cause for concern is that this is going to race across the country faster than we can come up with a solution," said Alan Hicks, a wildlife biologist with New York state's Department of Environmental Conservation. "Now that is entirely possible."

Death tolls for the tiny creatures are hard to pinpoint, but some estimates run into the hundreds of thousands

[sneakers]

Spray windex on it. ;-)

[Tax-chick]

That might work. We use tea-tree oil on our dragons, because it has an Australian origin, as they do.

[Dominnae]

It’s probably related to immune deficiency from rabies.

They aren't dying of an immune deficiency.. and it has nothing to do with rabies.

This syndrome disrupts their hibernation and depletes their fat stores, and they fail to thrive.

They get confused and don't go as deep into caves/mines as they usually do, they sometimes fly out long before it's warm enough, and freeze to death.

They don't know yet if the fungus, found on noses and sometimes wings, are the cause or effect of this.

Rabies is a viral neuropathy - nothing like this and doesn't cause "immune deficiencies".

[Eva]

I had been thinking that I had heard about the white nose problem before, then it suddenly hit me, that I had heard of a fungal infection in frogs that caused a white nose, or white spots on the nose of the frogs. Similar ?

[TASMANIANRED]

Maybe they can get in on the bail out.

[Dominnae]

Maybe they can get in on the bail out.

LOL!!! Why not, who isn't?

I had so many smart-arse comments - I had to delete them before posting *cry*

[OafOfOffice]

Deadly Bat Disease Spreads to Six States...

Pelosi disease!

[OafOfOffice]

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/08/25/wind-turbine-bats.html

Wind Turbines Kill Bats Without Impact

Between Pelosi's wind turbines and this disease, we could have a major environmental problem and a endangered species act.

Quick, Call Sierra club on Pelosi.

[starlifter]

I am extremely disappointed. No picture of bat boy until post #14.

PEOPLE: WE HAVE TO DO BETTER!

[starlifter]

Make that #15.

It's early.