White-nose syndrome

White-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats in North America. At some sites, 90 to 100 percent of bats have died. In the United States, the effort to combat white-nose syndrome is led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guided by a National Plan. Visit the White Nose Syndrome Response Team website for further information.

 

What Is White-Nose Syndrome? (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease that affects hibernating bats and is caused by a fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, or Pd for short. Sometimes Pd looks like a white fuzz on bats’ faces, which is how the disease got its name.

Beneficial Forest Management Practices for WNS-Affected Bats (White-Nose Syndrome Response Team)
This document contains detailed information, including a glossary of bat and forest management related terms and citations for pertinent scientific literature to help land managers and others interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying science and related issues that were considered when developing the BFMPs.

What’s Causing Millions of North American Bats to Die? (Smithsonian Channel You Tube video)
Bats in North America are dying by the millions, and Dr. DeeAnn Reeder is leading scientists into the caves to find out why.

Bats of Great Smoky Mountains National Park & White-nose Syndrome (National Park Service video)
An educational video regarding National Park Service researchers gathering information about Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s bats, to understand and combat white nose syndrome, and the important roles bats play in our ecosystems.

White-nose Syndrome Fact Sheet (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Fact sheet, update July 2019 that discusses what the syndrome is, what bats are affected, where the syndrome exists, and what is being done to combat it.