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26 February 2008 - White Nose Syndrome in Bats USFWS has termed this as "an unprecedented die off" of bats in the Northeast. Thus far, the disease has been reported in New York, Vermont and Massachusetts and is evidenced by the appearance of white fungus on their noses. Bats
currently impacted include: the Indiana bat (protected by the
Endangered Species Act), little brown bats that are sustaining the
largest number of deaths, as well as northern long-eared, eastern
pipistrelle and other bat species using the same caves.
A good overview of the disease and related articles may be found at:
http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html. Note that USFWS requests
that suspected new outbreaks of the disease be reported to your local
USFWS office and state game agency. Since the method of disease
transmission is not currently known, USFWS is asking that cavers in New
York and Vermont avoid caves at this time.