The fungus that causes deadly white-nose syndrome (WNS) in hibernating bats has been detected in Texas for the first time. The syndrome has killed millions of bats in the eastern parts of North America, raising national concern. A coalition of groups in Texas is continuing work to monitor the spread of the problem and is seeking willing landowners who could help scientists locate and access bat caves.
The fungus was detected on species of hibernating bats in six North Texas Counties: Childress, Collingsworth, Cottle, Hardeman, King, and Scurry. The three species are tri-colored bat, cave myotis, and Townsend’s big-eared bat. This is the first detection of the fungus on both cave myotis and western populations of Townsend’s big-eared bats.
Additional information on the WNS fungus in Texas is available at http://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/. Additional information on White-Nose Syndrome is available at www.whitenosesyndrome.org.
