Researchers with the B.C. community bat program want to hear from Burnaby residents who’ve seen bats flying around.
Staff are anticipating white nose syndrome, a deadly fungal growth, will make its way to British Columbia this winter. The disease has killed more than six million bats in eastern North America and was confirmed in Washington State in 2016.
“We’re expecting a similar effect,” Aimee Mitchell, the program’s Fraser Valley coordinator, told the NOW.
The idea is to catch the first infected bat before it spreads the disease to others, she said.
White nose syndrome, as the name implies, develops on a bat’s nose and has a near 100 per cent mortality rate. (The disease does not affect humans.)
It forces a bat to wake up from hibernation and clear the growth, according to Mitchell.
“They only have a certain amount of fat reserves,” she said. “Essentially, they’ll starve to death because they won’t have energy.”
There are currently no treatments for white nose syndrome.
To help monitor the situation, staff are looking to speak to anyone who knows of any maternity colonies in Burnaby. Mitchell said she knows they exist, but their locations are unknown since they’re usually found in people’s roofs, under siding or in chimneys and attics.
If you find a flying or dead bat, call 1-855-922-2287, ext. 24, or email [email protected].
Never touch a dead bat with your bare hands, noted Mitchell.
“If it’s still fairly active, there should be an attempt to open the door and let them go on their own,” she said. “Otherwise, if it seems to be fairly lethargic and not moving around, put a box over it and try to contain it, and then call the Wildlife Rescue Association in Burnaby.”
The number for Wildlife Rescue is 604-526-7275.
What is white nose syndrome?
A fungal disease that was first detected in North America in 2006 in New York State. It was confirmed in Washington State in 2016 and is expected to be in B.C. this winter.
Where is it found?
Eastern U.S.A. and Canada (disease and fungus), and in more than 30 countries (just the fungus).
Which bats does it affect?
In eastern North America, it affects nine species, including Little Brown bat, Big Brown bat and Northern myotis. On the West Coast, it could affect many more species.
How does it kill the bat?
The fungus awakens bats from hibernation to groom and remove fungus. Physiological disruption causes death in most cases.
Symptoms
*White, powdery fungus – in winter, and sometimes in spring.
*Extreme mortality of bats.
*Thin, dehydrated bats.
*Delayed arousal from hibernation.
*Strange behaviour in winter such as flying in the middle of the day.
