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Updated: 10:47 PM Feb 23, 2010
Deadly Fungus Threatens Endangered Bats
The discovery of a deadly and quick-spreading fungus in West Virginia's largest bat cave is threatening to wipe out the cave's entire population, including two endangered species.
Posted: 10:47 PM Feb 23, 2010Reporter: Associated Press Email Address: news@wsaz.com |
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- The discovery of a deadly and quick-spreading fungus in West Virginia's largest bat cave is threatening to wipe out the cave's entire population, including two endangered species.
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Tuesday that tests confirm that white-nose syndrome has spread to Hellhole in Pendleton County.
The cave's bat population includes 13,000 Indiana bats and 5,000 Virginia big-eared bats, both of which are endangered.
The DNR says the cave supports more than 40 percent of the world's entire hibernating population of Virginia big-eared bats.
The past three years, the scourge named for the white fungus that often appears on bats' muzzles has killed more than a million bats in nine states.
Latest Comments
Posted by: stash
on Feb 26, 2010 at 08:27 AM
Thanks for sharing this story. Bats are an important part of the ecosystem. They eat bugs by the millions. The decisions we make should consider the impact the decision will have on the remaining bat populations. Windmills do kill bats. Should we be siting windmills near known bat populations with the knowledge that both the fungus and the windmills will compound the problem? Not if we don't want the insects to overwhelm us.
Posted by: Simpe
on Feb 25, 2010 at 12:07 AM
Wonder what we will do when the bats all disappear and the insects eat us all summer long? Hmmm buy more insect repellant?
Posted by: Sarah
on Feb 24, 2010 at 01:54 PM
This is a real story. Thank you for telling about something important. Honestly I'm sick of hearing about all the crime and people doing idiotic things. I would like to here more about this, like if they have any sort of solution to the problem. I don't want to see them go extinct that would be a tragedy. Please follow up on this story. Thanks and good job WSAZ!
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