- Hello Jeff - Thus far, Alabama bat colonies are free
of the deadly fungal disease. Let us hope and pray they stay free. Given
the fact that Tennessee has cases, even though some Tennessee caves were
closed to cavers, I would not be surprised if we do hear of cases in the
south east US before long. Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas all in danger of
being the next stop on the out of control White Nose Syndrome express.
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- Map of White Nose Syndrome outbreak to date...
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- http://www.batcon.org/images/stories/WNS_StatusMap_20100329_WNS_WebpageLarge.jpg
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- Alabama Bats Free Of Deadly Fungal Disease So Far
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- By Thomas Spencer
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- The Birmingham News
- 11-30-10
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- A recently concluded survey of two dozen bat colonies
hibernating in Alabama caves turned up no evidence that white-nose syndrome,
a fungal disease that has decimated bats in the Northeast, has spread to
Alabama.
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- This winter, Tennessee wildlife officials have found
affected bats in two caves, one in the northeast corner of that state and
the other in northwest Tennessee. The latter, Dunbar Cave, was closed last
week. That discovery represents a 280-mile jump for WNS and puts it within
150 miles of the Alabama border.
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- Experts said they were relieved to find Alabama bats
safe for the time being, but they don't expect that to last.
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- "In our best biological opinion, we think it is
just a matter of time until it spreads here," said Keith Hudson, a
wildlife biologist with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources. "The main concern in Alabama is that it will get into our
gray bats, and if it does, it is going to be a significant event."
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- The survey was a collaborative effort between the ADCNR,
the U.S. Forest Service, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service.
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- Gray bats are an endangered species. About 95 percent
of these bats hibernate in only nine caves, one of which, Fern Cave, is
in northern Alabama. That makes the bats extremely vulnerable to destruction.
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- Bats are key players in the ecosystem. They are the only
major predators of night-flying insects. One bat can eat between 600 and
1,000 mosquitoes and other insect pests in just one hour.
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- The fungus is spread from bat to bat, but because it
is making big geographic leaps, evidence suggests that human cave visitors
are picking up the fungus on clothes or equipment and inadvertently transporting
it to other caves.
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- Most federally owned caves in the South and East have
been closed in hopes of slowing the spread.
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- The Southeast Cave Conservancy has closed Anderson Cave
in Shelby County and an access they control to Fern Cave. Other caves remain
open, but cavers who've been in caves in areas where WNS has been found
are asked not use any clothing, footwear or caving equipment that might
bring the fungus into unaffected caves.
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- Even where WNS has not been detected, cave conservation
groups recommend a thorough decontamination process if cavers move equipment
from one cave to another.
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- Tom Hagood, a former caver who lives in Birmingham, became
so concerned about the situation he set up his own Web site, www.ilovebats.org,
which includes a detailed explanation of WNS and includes links to other
resources. He fears that some cavers aren't taking the threat seriously.
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- "I'm very concerned about bats. This is an extremely
lethal disease, and I don't think people realize how contagious it is and
how their own desires might be getting in the way of their judgment,"
Hagood said.
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- http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-stories/2010/03/alabama_bat_colonies_free_of_d.html
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- Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural
Economics Univ of West Indies Please visit my "Emerging Diseases"
message board at: http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php Also my
new website: http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/ Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
Go with God and in Good Health
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