Friends of the Cumberland Trail

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information, contact:

Dec. 4, 2009

Jeremy Coleman 607-753-9334 x131
Martin Miller 413-253-8615
Diana Weaver 413-253-8329
Kyla Hastie 413-253-8325

Cave closures likely key to slowing
deadly white-nose syndrome spread

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed a report
recommending closing human access to caves and mines where bats with
white-nose syndrome are hibernating in an area more than 250 miles from
other WNS-affected caves and mines.  The report also recommends limiting
human access to unaffected caves and mines.  These recommendations presume
that WNS spreads not only from bat-to-bat, but also is spread by human
activity.

The recommendation is aimed at controlling the spread of WNS while
scientists work to better understand the cause and find a way to stop the
mysterious disease.  WNS has devastated bat populations in the Northeast
and appears poised to continue its rapid spread south and west in coming
months.

An update of the Service’s March 2009 cave advisory will reflect
recommendations in the report.  Additional planning efforts are under way,
with a national plan anticipated later this winter.

National White-Nose Syndrome Coordinator Jeremy Coleman, Ph.D.:  “Our
recommendations are based on a thorough analysis of the best available
science and the need to provide guidance to natural resource managers.
Until we learn more, the best recommendation we can make is to control
human access to caves and mines and do all we can to prevent human-assisted
transmission of the disease.  The success of our efforts will depend on the
support of our partners and the public.”

See http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html for
questions and answers
the report (White-Nose Syndrome Management: Report on Structured
Decision Making Initiative) and the user guide
links to photos (also on Flickr) and videos
more about white-nose syndrome

-FWS-