Photo Credit: Al Hicks, New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation
First docmented during the Winter of 2006-2007 in New York State, White Nose Syndrome, commonly referred to as simply WNS, refers to a white fungus, Geomyces destructans, that is easily recognized as a "fuzz", on and around the noses of affected bats. The fungus may be a symptom and not the cause of the mortality observed to date. Bats affected with WNS do not always have the fungus, but may display abnormal behaviors.
To date, it is still unclear of if or how WNS is being transmitted, however it is known that the presence of WNS has been documented at numerous caves and mines and has spread rapidly throughout the Northeast and the eastern half of the United States.
As of the Winter 2011-2012 season, WNS has been documented as far south as Alabama and as far west as Missouri.
2006-2007
First documented case of WNS have been "officially" confirmed in New York (NY).
2007-2008
The surrounding states of Vermont (VT), Massachusetts (MA), and Connecticut (CT), are added to the confirmed cases list
during the Winter of 2007-2008.
2008-2009
Additional documented cases of WNS are reported in Pennsylvania (PA), New Jersey (NJ), New Hampshire (NH), West Virginia (WV), and Virginia (VA), during the Winter of 2008-2009.
2009-2010
New cases of WNS has also been confirmed in caves within the nearby states of Maryland (MD), and Tennessee (TN), as well as within the provinces of Ontarior (ON), and Quebec (QC), Canada, during the Winter of 2010.
2010-2011
During the Winter of 2011, new documented cases of WNS have been "officially" confirmed in the states of Indiana (IN), Ohio (OH), North Carolina (NC), Kentucky (KY), and Maine (ME), as well as within the provinces of Nova Scotia (NS), and New Brunswick (NB), Canada.
2011-2012
The state of Alabama (AL) is added to the list of states with confirmed WNS cases in March 2012. Of significance, is that Alabama was belived to be far enough south that the WNS would not effect bats. That theory was proved wrong! Currently, Alabama is the most southern most extent within the Unites States of the effects of WNS.
WNS has also been confirmed for the first time to have crossed the Mississippi River and have effected bats in the state of Missouri (MO). Currently, Missouri is the western most extent within the United States to have confirmed cases of WNS.
Back East, the little state of Delaware (DE) is inevitably added to the list of states with confirmed cases of WNS.
*** The following "confirmed" cases above are derived from the "White Nose Syndrome (WNS) Occurrence Map", dated April 5, 2012, by Cal Butchkoski of the PA Game Commission on behalf of the National Speleological Society (NSS) Liaison on White Nose Syndrome.
Special Annoucement!
On March 26, 2009, the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) has issued an important advisory statement. It states,
"A voluntary moratorium, is effective immediately, on ALL caving activity in states known to have hibernacula affected by WNS, and all adjoining states, unless conducted as part of an agency-sanctioned research or monitoring project."
The US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) has issued "NEW" Cleaning and Disinfecting Protocols as of April 9, 2012.
Note: Considering that the Mid-Appalachian Region (MAR) is an internal organization of the National Speleological Socity (NSS), and that the NSS maintins its own special "up-to-date" section of WNS with the latest information, it is not the MAR's intention for this page to explain the latest developments of WNS, but rather to act as a portal from which a viewer can access additional information.
Please 'click' on the button below to access the "Official" National Speleological Society's section on White Nose Syndrome.
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