Need to vent

[Kelly]

I hope this is okay, but I just needed to vent to a small group of cavers who generally understand or at least accept my views.

This whole White Nose Syndrome thing is really frustrating me lately. Maybe I just need to go caving more often than I am able these days, and forget about all of this crap, but I just can't

I work for a State DNR and I'm so ill seeing all these caver friends of mine whine about how awful it is to have to deal with state agencies over WNS. They are lumping us all into the same boat, and it just makes me ill. I've spoken with one of our state biologist who is working with WNS, and even taken her caving. She is very reasonable, but also is very frustrated by how rude cavers have been to her - for absolutely no reason. I've seen this kind of stuff before when cavers were all up in arms about a mine expansion. The guy in our agency in charge of mining at the time is now my boss and he too expressed how rude cavers were and how counterproductive their involvement was. Luckily, so far, the people dealing with these caver issues have been professional and done the right thing DESPITE the rude cavers. However, if some of these same types of personalities are talking to other not-so-cooperative states, frankly, it doesn't surprise me in the least that these officials are not cooperating. Do these rude cavers not know that they are hurting our cause! So frustrating!

Then on the other end of the WNS spectrum we have the Center for Biological Diversity idiots. What are these people thinking. If they truly care about saving the bats why don't they realize that they should be making cavers their friend. Their rude attitudes are just driving a wedge between the two groups that could do the most good (if any good can be done) for WNS. Case in point, check out this quote from a CBD supporter:

"...closing caves now, even those on private land, will be too late. The USFWS should have done this over a decade ago to try to save so many species of endangered bats, yet only drug their feet. They could at least admit this disease was carried from Europe by a caver (the cause of all the problems)who then infected the first cave in NY. Caves are like coral reefs and you don’t touch coral reefs without negative effects, so stay the F out of caves unless you are a qualified researcher conducting funded research. Spunks are punks that are the primary cause of all bat decline."

So what's next? Some of these bats hang out in tree bark during summer months. Are they going to ask all governments to close down all hiking where trees are present because there might be a bat roosting?

How ridiculous!

Thanks for letting me vent. I needed that.

Kelly

[Brian Roebuck]

You are always welcome to post and / or vent here. I think the main reason many cavers are ticked off is that they have been pretty much accused of spreading WNS by the media with no real basis in fact. You'll find cavers are like any other group - some are quiet, some are more outspoken, etc. They are just people having all types of opinions and backgrounds.

;D

[Kelly]

Thanks for letting me rant!

I totally agree that the media needs to be put in their place with regard to spreading their mis-information. I've been making comments on all articles that I find on the web that are saying stupid stuff like this.

BTW, those of us that work in my state agency actually completely agree with cavers and how they feel about WNS. They know its impossible to really close caves, they know cavers are very unlikely to be spreading the disease. They really want to work the education angle alternative. They don't want to close caves.

However, its sad when your boss walks into your office and says "most cavers aren't like you, they're all a$$ holes". That statement is not true, I know it isn't. But its those embarrassingly obnoxious few who constantly give the rest of us a bad name.

[Tony Anders]

I agree, I think if people are responsible cavers [meaning decon after leaving the cave and not cross contaminating other caves] Everything will work out. I don't know of any cases of WN the immediate area {Southern KY} however, I haven't been, [out of respect] caving in over a year. I am fixing to feed my addiction though. I hope some will forgive me. But I got's to go, ah-ight! (ha ha)