Scientists found a deadly fungus in Texas that can kill bats. The cave outside San Antonio, Texas is the home of Nation’s largest habitat of bats and the lethal fungus is killing millions of bats each year. Researchers found that the fungus can cause White- nose disease in hibernating bats.
A research team from the Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources has collected several bat species from the Hardeman, Collingsworth, Cottle, Childress King and Scurry counties of northwestern Texas. According to U.S. News & World Report, researchers detected the evidence of the fungus from three species. Those three species are, tri-colored, cave myotis and Townsend's big-eared bats.
A nonprofit organization of Texas named Bat Conservation International has declared that the mass death of bat was caused by the White nose disease. The Washington Post has reported that the disease was first diagnosed in 2006.
The executive director of Bat Conservation International, Mike Daulton said in a statement,“This is devastating news for Texas and a serious blow for our western bat species”. Scientists found Pseudogymnoascus Destructans fungus is the main culprit who is killing the bats. Over the last decade its been spreading 100 miles per year.
Now, this fungus has already spread over 30 states of US including Oklahoma, and five Canadian provinces. However, not all species were affected with this disease. Mexican free-tailed bat which is of the available species among 32 other bat species can withstand against the white nose. These species of bats don’t hibernate for a long time that allows them to survive, as it takes months to destroy skin and wings.
The main symptom of this disease is, fuzzy white infections start growing at the nose and spread to the entire wings. This disease is a Contagious disease and it transmits through bat to bat. However, humans also carry the fungal spores with their shoes and clothes.
State, federal, tribal and other groups in Texas are trying to stop the propagation of the fungus to reduce the disease. Bats also help in crop pollination and control insect populations. Scientists are trying to make vaccines and other medicines to stop spreading the disease especially during the climate change of the year.
