White-Nose Syndrome
STATEMENT OF CONCERN
The recent emergence of white nose syndrome (WNS) poses a significant
threat to bat populations in the eastern United States. In only three years WNS
has spread from central New York southward into Virginia, killing hundreds of
thousands of hibernating bats. As WNS continues to march southward, the SBDN
membership is preparing for WNS to affect new species and populations in the very
near future. SBDN stands with other conservation organizations in supporting
research, education, and management which will assist in understanding and
stopping impacts and progression of this deadly syndrome.
CALL TO ARMS
SBDN recommends that the membership take an active and coordinated role in the following efforts:
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Work closely with state and federal agency contacts, and with partnering organizations,
particularly regarding recommended protocols and restrictions.
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Educate yourself on WNS and stay current on all advisories, protocols and opportunities
to contribute. The
U.S. Fish & Wildlife WNS webpage
should be consulted regularly for up-to-date official protocols.
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Contribute to regional WNS monitoring efforts and regional data coordination
to facilitate the development of a broad geographic understanding of WNS in the southeast.
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Contribute your current bat handling and survey data to the SBDN/NEBWG bat
database to allow regional assessment of parameters
relevant to spread of WNS. This database is a repository for bat field data for the
eastern United States.
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Participate in coordinated survey efforts through incorporation of WNS data collection
requests and protocols into on-going field work. Important examples include:
- Collection of wing-damage
index data (PDF)
to monitor the spread and range-wide effect of WNS through direct measurement of affected bats.
- Application of acoustic transect protocols (PDF)
to assess the impacts of WNS on summer distribution of bats through examination
of changes in bat distribution and activity over successive years.
- Application of summer maternity sampling protocols relevant to WNS.
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WNS COMMITTEE
The SBDN WNS committee has been established to track current events and
information regarding WNS and to act on behalf of the membership to understand and
reduce the impacts of WNS. The WNS committee will also be coordinating specific
requests or updates to the membership through this site or by SBDN email alerts.
Your WNS Committee members are:
Recent WNS Committee actions have included:
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Initiated a WNS page for the SBDN website. [May, 2009]
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Initiated letters from SBDN to State and Federal Scientific Collection
Permit Coordinators soliciting their cooperation to require permitted
parties comply with WNS protocols (read letter here). [April, 2009]
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Initiated letters from SBDN to Legislators to solicit support for federal
funding and support (read letter here). [April, 2009]
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The SBDN WNS Committee was formed at the Annual SBDN Meeting. [February, 2009]
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LINKS
The following links provide excellent updates on WNS information, including the latest protocols, advisories, and geographic progression.
