By Gwen Stanley
Standard Staff
A creature that in spring was considered a threatened species with a rapidly dwindling population is now showing a slight sign of movement toward a leveling off, scientists say.
The little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus, lives in abundance in Vermont as well as parts of New York. Dining on mainly aquatic insects, the bats suffered unprecedented illness starting in the winter of 2006 as White Nose Syndrome spread, breaking down tissue as it infected the bats. This widespread sickness sent the bat population in the state plummeting an estimated 90 percent.
Scientists have not pinpointed the cause of the syndrome, but Alyssa Bennett, Wildlife Technician said Wednesday that it’s suspected that the syndrome made its way over from Europe.
White Nose Syndrome shows itself by giving a whitish, powdery look to the bat — especially on their wings and nose — as well as by causing the bats to fly out of their caves in the daytime.
“If a bat is spotted flying during the daytime, that should definitely be called in to us,” Bennett said.
Recent headlines that indicate that the bat population in Vermont has leveled off are a bit misleading, she said.
“We do want to give people hope that it’s not totally doomsday anymore but don’t think the bats are fine now,” she said. “The fact is that we have a shred of hope that it will turn that way, but we are not nearly in the clear yet as far as a leveling off of brown bat population.”
Much research is still needed in order to track the spread of the fungus.
The fungus that causes White Nose Syndrome thrives on the exact same climate that the brown bats need to survive: cold and moist. Of the six different species of bat that live in Vermont, Bennett said, the little brown bat is the most naturally susceptible to the syndrome. Large brown bats were affected but not to the extent that the Myotis lucifugus was. Another factor is that the little brown bat tends to live in people’s barns and near homes, rather than only in caves.
The Vermont Institute For Natural Science, or VINS, in Quechee, cannot help with bats that are sick or injured.
“We can be a resource for people who have found an injured or ill bat, but we’re not licensed for bats,” a VINS spokesperson said Wednesday. Those in this area who’ve come across such an animal are urged to contact the Vermont Wildlife Department rabies hotline at (802) 786-0055 or visit their web site at vtfishandwildlife.com. The site has a form to fill out to report a “sick-acting bat.”
Don’t touch the bat, experts say, and report it immediately.
“Never handle a bat without gloves, always a risk of rabies – they are still mammals. Especially in the winter. If someone saw a bat out at this time of year – if they’ve flown out of the cave – the fungus could very well be there,” Bennett said.
Bennett said that those who come across a bat can call her direct line at (802) 786-0098 and she will be able to assist them.
This article first appeared in the December 29th edition of the Vermont Standard.
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