Post by speleorelic on Feb 9, 2008 10:53:45 GMT -5
-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Flanagan <scoup.it@kevin-rf.com>
To: GVKS <gvkarstsurvey@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 10:46 am
Subject: (GVKS) - An alternative take on white nose
This came from Jason Siemion of the Rockeaters, he has dug and caved in the valley with us. It is forwarded with permission.
>
>
> The NYS DEC Wildlife Pathologist, Ward Stone, discussed the bat die > off Monday night on his weekly radio show on WAMC. He had some very > interesting things to say. Following is a brief summary of the key > points that Stone made:
>
> 1. Stone stated that the primary cause of death was the warm > temperatures late in the fall the last two years. The warm temps late > in the fall lead the bats to be out flying around looking for food > when there was none available. This lead to the depletion of fat > stores they needed to survive the winter. In this weakened state they > either outright starved to death or were weak enough that a secondary > mortality agent was able to take hold.
>
> 2. He then went on to discuss the fungi found on the bats...and said > that the fungi are three naturally occurring fungi that are commonly > found in soil and caves, not something introduced. The fungi are only > a secondary agent taking advantage of the weakened bats, not outright > affecting the healthy bats. He also mentioned that they are finding > dead bats that are not associated with hibernating in caves (houses, > trees, etc) that do not have the fungi on them, again leading him to > believe the fungi are not the primary cause of death. Other secondary > agents such as mercury, pesticides, etc may also play a role.
> > The above has not been confirmed as accurate by the NYS DEC bat > specialist, although some of it appears in a poster presented by the > bat specialist last fall. Note that the fungus has not only been found > in heavily used recreational caves, it has also been found in some > closed caves: Hailes and Mitchells. > > > <http://www.msnmobilefix.com/Default.aspx>
From: Kevin Flanagan <scoup.it@kevin-rf.com>
To: GVKS <gvkarstsurvey@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 10:46 am
Subject: (GVKS) - An alternative take on white nose
This came from Jason Siemion of the Rockeaters, he has dug and caved in the valley with us. It is forwarded with permission.
>
>
> The NYS DEC Wildlife Pathologist, Ward Stone, discussed the bat die > off Monday night on his weekly radio show on WAMC. He had some very > interesting things to say. Following is a brief summary of the key > points that Stone made:
>
> 1. Stone stated that the primary cause of death was the warm > temperatures late in the fall the last two years. The warm temps late > in the fall lead the bats to be out flying around looking for food > when there was none available. This lead to the depletion of fat > stores they needed to survive the winter. In this weakened state they > either outright starved to death or were weak enough that a secondary > mortality agent was able to take hold.
>
> 2. He then went on to discuss the fungi found on the bats...and said > that the fungi are three naturally occurring fungi that are commonly > found in soil and caves, not something introduced. The fungi are only > a secondary agent taking advantage of the weakened bats, not outright > affecting the healthy bats. He also mentioned that they are finding > dead bats that are not associated with hibernating in caves (houses, > trees, etc) that do not have the fungi on them, again leading him to > believe the fungi are not the primary cause of death. Other secondary > agents such as mercury, pesticides, etc may also play a role.
> > The above has not been confirmed as accurate by the NYS DEC bat > specialist, although some of it appears in a poster presented by the > bat specialist last fall. Note that the fungus has not only been found > in heavily used recreational caves, it has also been found in some > closed caves: Hailes and Mitchells. > > > <http://www.msnmobilefix.com/Default.aspx>
