White-nose Syndrome on Prince Edward Island
Little Brown Bat (Source: Flickr, USFWS)
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the fungus "Pseudogymnoascus destructans"
= (very sick bats)
White Nose Syndrome
PEI Bats Infected in 2012
In February 2006, people started noticing a large number of dead bats outside a bat colony in New York State. The infected bats had white spots around their mouth, their nose and along the edge of their wings, so the infection became known as White Nose Syndrome (WNS).
White Nose Syndrome was first reported on PEI during the winter of 2012-2013. All of the reports were then east of Summerside but all of PEI is now identified as infected as of 2013.
The mysterious illness has since rapidly spread and has killed up to 7 million North American bats. The fungus that causes the white spots on the bats was renamed as “Pseudogymnoascus destructans”. It causes the bats to wake up from hibernation and move or fly around, draining their winter fat reserves faster than normal. Some bats will emerge and fly outside in the winter seeking insects to eat, but this extra activity leads to further fat losses. Without the fat reserves, the cold eventually kills the bats.
Source: Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre
WNS can kill 95-99% of a colony and it may take decades or centuries for surviving colonies to recover.
PEI has two species of bats: The “little brown bat” (Myotis lucifugus) and the “northern longeared bat” (Myotis septentrionalis). More info: helpthebats.ca, or www.whitenosesyndrome.org
Where are bats on PEI?
General Bat Facts
During the spring, summer and early fall, bats can be found within our forests, fields and along streams.
Bats are the only true flying mammals. They’re fascinating animals that are essential to our environment and economy.
Bats like to live near sources of freshwater, feeding on insects and raising their young.
When not hibernating, a bat can eat several thousand insects every day. Collectively, a bat colony can consume tons of insects nightly.
Bats normally hibernate in large groups (called “colonies”) during the winter months. They like to find locations that have a constant temperature that remains above freezing all winter long. Examples: deep caves as a favourite, but also sites such as inside barns, attics, underground water wells, and older buildings with stone foundations.
Besides controlling countless insect populations, bats also pollinate a variety of plants and spread seeds.
WNS:How can you help?
Please stay out of known hibernation areas to avoid spreading the fungus. If you can, put up a outdoor “bat house” (http://www.batconservation.org/bathouses/build-your-own-bat-house) If you get bats living inside your home, hire someone to move (not kill) the bats
Help the PEI government increase their knowledge of bat colonies on PEI by reporting winter or summer bat sightings to our Forests, Fish and Wildlife Division. Contact: Mark Arsenault,
[email protected], (902) 368-6096 or Chuck Gallison,
[email protected], (902) 368-5275 If using email, please put “White Nose
Bats represent about 20% of all extant (currently existing) mammalian species worldwide: about 1,240 species.
Syndrome” as part of the subject line. Requested information: 1. Your name, address and contact info 2. Bat sighting date and time of day 3. Bat sighting location
There is currently little information about PEI’s winter bat populations. Cave systems are more commonly found in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Smallest bat: “Kitti’s hog-nosed bat” at 29-34 mm (about 1 ¼“)! Largest bats: different Pteropus (fruit bat) species with a wingspan up to 1.7m (5’7”)!
4. Number of bats observed 5. Location of bat colony (if known) Flyer created for the 2014 “Bats for Bats!” Art-in-the-Open event. Printing funded by the City of Charlottetown, PE