I know, I hate bats too! A couple of years back we got one in our house while I was away. Boy did I hear about it from my wife!
But this is serious business about this white nose virus. It has been infecting bats all up the east coast for a number of years now. The National Park Service has been checking the bats here every spring to see when (not if) the local bats came down with it. This spring they have started to see it showing up in the local population of bats that hibernate in caves. For a bat who contracts this disease, it’s just a matter of time. The mortality rate is very high. No one is sure how it affects them or even how it kills them.
You might be saying, “good!” but it’s not really. The experts tell us that the bats are instrumental in keeping insects at bay. They play an important role in germinating plants. And they are very fearful that if the bat population gets wiped out, the whole ecosystem will suffer greatly!
They are not sure, but there has been some speculation that they may have to close the caves and caverns in Tennessee that serve as tourist attractions for tens of thousands of visitors. We certainly hope it does not come to this! For more information on who may be affected you can read more here…
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