Bats in Colorado are battling a deadly fungus that causes white-nose syndrome

Colorado's bat populations might be heading toward a decline that might cause ecological disruption across the state.

Two bats discovered in Boulder County At the top of February 2024, white-nose syndrome, a fatal fungal disease, was confirmed. Additional bats in Larimer County also tested positive for white-nose syndrome earlier this spring.

The first North American bats with white mushroom on their faces, ears and wings were discovered in 2006 in caves where they overwintered near Albany, New York. The fungus causes bats to lose nutrients and moisture through their skin get up early from hibernation searching for food and water.

The The disease spread quickly westwardIt reached Washington state in 2015 and California 4 years later. It has been confirmed Montana and New Mexico by 2021. There was evidence of the fungus first reported in Colorado in summer 2022.

I’m a bat biologist and most of my research has focused on the genetics of Myotis Bats. Knowing which bat populations are genetically unique and where they occur will help researchers understand how white-nose syndrome affects them and the way it spreads between geographic areas.

What is white nose syndrome?

White nose syndrome is the result infection by a fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans.

However, most mushrooms thrive in warm, moist conditions Pseudogymnoascus destructans is a “cold-loving” mushroom. This characteristic makes it well fitted to growth on bats, whose body temperature is reduced during hibernation Immune systems are suppressed.

Bats infected with Pseudogymnoascus destructans lose nutrients and fat reserves crucial for survival during hibernation when the fungus grows into their skin. One of the earliest signs of white-nose syndrome is when bats get up early from hibernation and go searching for food. The fungus also affects other metabolic aspectsreminiscent of B. Electrolyte levels.

After the invention of Pseudogymnoascus destructans In North America, scientists searched across the globe for the fungus and located it in European and Asian caves, where they consider it’s native. Bats in these areas don’t seem like negatively affected by the fungus, probably because they developed along with the fungus and developed some immunity.

Pseudogymnoascus destructans was likely delivered to the USA of travelers who explored caves in Europe and returned with contaminated equipment.

Myotis Species could face declines

The species most affected by white-nose syndrome include members of the varied group of Myotis Bats that I'm studying. The majority of North Americans Myotis Bats are present in western states, including Colorado.

Sixteen of them North America's 45 bat species Are Myotis Bats. Of these 16 11 live only in western North America And seven live in Colorado.

All of those Myotis Bats could experience massive population declines if exposed to white-nose syndrome.

Some North American bat species have greater than 90% of their population on white nose syndrome since 2006, including two in Colorado:

• Little brown bats, Myotis lucifugusthat are is considered listed for endangered status by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, but are usually not yet listed.

• Tri-colored bats, Perimyotis subflavusthat are suggested as endangereda standing that indicates the species is in peril of extinction and is awaiting a final decision Endangered Species List.

Colorado test for white nose syndrome

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has tested Pseudogymnoascus destructans since 2019.

In summer 2022 25 bats in Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site in Otero County were tested. Just one, a Yuma thug (Myotis yumanensis) was positive for the funguseven though it showed no signs of illness.

A yr later, in July 2023, a second Yuma hitter at Bent's Old Fort had signs of the fungus on its wings and was euthanized by the National Park Service. It was the primary bat in Colorado to be confirmed with the disease.

Prevent further spread

Because the disease is very contagious in eastern bats, the invention of even one Colorado bat with white-nose syndrome raises alarm bells. However, biologists know little concerning the population structure, hibernation sites, and hibernation behavior of most western species Myotis Species. This is a serious obstacle to understanding the potential impact of white-nose syndrome on bats in Colorado.

Researchers think in a Western way Myotis Bats could hibernate there smaller web sites, unlike many eastern bats that hibernate in large mines and dams. This behavior could mitigate the impact of the disease within the West since the groups that hibernate together could also be smaller, leading to limited opportunities for the disease to spread.

Researchers also lack information concerning the genetic structure of Western populations Myotis bats, which is a particularly necessary aspect of management and conservation strategies.

Genetic studies that I published with a bunch of colleagues show strong evidence that biologists are underestimate the number from westerns Myotis Species on account of a phenomenon called “cryptic” or hidden species. This research suggests that there are Myotis Bats which can be similar in size and shape but genetically different. Since most species are identified based on morphological characteristics, the variety of species recognized by science might be too small.

For example, little brown bats are currently considered a single species, despite research showing that they’re five independent lines inside this species.

The cryptic species most affected by white-nose syndrome within the East is Myotis lucifugus lucifugus.

Two of those cryptic species – Ml luzifuge And M.l. Favorite – live along the Front Range in Wyoming and Colorado, so it is feasible that bat-to-bat contact occurs between them and spreads the disease.

What’s next for bats in Colorado?

Biologist John Demboski from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and I are working together to investigate genetic samples from across Colorado. We will analyze tissue from sick bats in Boulder and Larimer counties together with a big genetic data set Myotis Bats from all around the state.

The results of our DNA analyzes will help predict how white-nose syndrome may spread throughout Colorado's bat populations and where targeted actions must be taken to guard them. In particular, the outcomes will make clear where the 2 cryptic species occur within the state and due to this fact where disease transmission might occur.

Some promising developments:

The US Geological Survey has recently developed a vaccine against white-nose syndrome and is currently testing its effectiveness. However, its promise is currently limited because use of the vaccine requires all bats to be captured and administered oral dose of the druga virtually unimaginable task for free-living, nocturnal animal populations.

Some preliminary studies Eastern populations of little brown bats suggest that they could be increase resistance to the fungus. A a small number survive.

Even if the bats get better and rebuild their populations will take an extended time. Most female bats only give birth to at least one offspring per yr over their lifespan, which might vary 10 to greater than 30 years. And most bat populations face other threats to their survivalreminiscent of habitat destruction, threats to prey populations and persecution.