Fungus brings bat species to brink of extinction, feds say. Others could be next

The fungus spreads on their bodies as they hibernate, clustered together in the cold and dark.

It’s already killing them by the time they wake up, overheated and dehydrated, tufts of unfamiliar fuzz growing on their muzzles and wings — signs of white-nose syndrome in the late stages.

They should still be sleeping, but instead they’re antsy, agitated, burning fat they’d rather be hoarding. One might even take flight, glide out of the cave at night or in broad daylight.

The first known case of white-nose syndrome in the U.S. was in New York in 2006. It has spread far and wide since then, killing millions of bats across the country, driving one particular species — the northern long-eared bat — to the brink of extinction.

The species was declared endangered on Tuesday, Nov. 29, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a step wildlife experts hope will help slow the rapid decimation of the bat’s population.

“This listing is an alarm bell and a call to action,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said in a news release. “White-nose syndrome is decimating cave-dwelling bat species like the northern long-eared bat at unprecedented rates. The Service is deeply committed to working with partners on a balanced approach that reduces the impacts of disease and protects the survivors to recover northern long-eared bat populations.”

Native to 37 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and much of Canada, the northern long-eared bats do as many bats do, roosting together in caves, crevices and dead trees, and emerging as the sun sets to hunt insects.

They are a linchpin in the ecosystems they reside. Accounting for pest control and pollination, bats contribute an estimated $3 billion each year to the nation’s agricultural economy, according to the USFWS.

The fungus spreads easily from bat to bat and has reached most of the northern long-eared bats’ natural habitat, and is expected to be established across its entire range by 2030. It is exceptionally deadly to the species, causing declines of at least 97% in impacted populations, the USFWS said.

Dire as the northern long-eared bats’ situation may be, the species isn’t alone. Little brown bats and tri-colored bats are also under serious threat.

Over 90% of all three species have been killed by the syndrome in less than a decade, researchers found in a large-scale study published in 2021, and the fungus has been found in 12 bat species.

“The story it tells is grim, to be sure,” Carl Herzog, a senior wildlife biologist for the state of New York, said of the study. “But having a clear view of what we are up against is an important precursor to mounting an effective management response.”

The disease, devastating as it is, isn’t spreading unchecked.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is heading up a task force of more than 150 organizations researching white-nose syndrome, searching for ways to fight the disease and save the bats, the release said.

The northern long-eared bats’ endangered status will go into effect on Jan. 30.

Teen girl and her Great Pyrenees fend off mountain lion attack, Nevada officials say

40,000 mink are running loose after someone broke into their facility, Ohio cops say

Farmer says ‘careless hunter’ fatally shot beloved cow named ‘Cookie’ in New Hampshire

Rescued bobcat kitten refused to move from Arizona backyard. ‘Something was wrong’