Bat Epidemic Spreads to 21st State, Iowa -- Take Action
The fungus that causes deadly white-nose syndrome in bats has reached Iowa -- the 21st state affected by the outbreak that has killed up to 7 million bats since it was first documented in upstate New York in 2006. The disease starves and kills bats as they hibernate, sometimes reaching 100 percent mortality in bat caves. There's good reason to believe people help spread the fungus when they enter caves.
Bats are crucial to people's way of life and economy, saving farmers about $22 billion a year by eating crop pests, for instance. The Center for Biological Diversity has been working hard to fight white-nose syndrome for years -- from petitioning to protect bats to requesting scientific funding for white-nose research to pushing for crucial cave closures and seeking a national action plan from the White House.
Take action now to help bats get the urgent attention they need to survive. Then find more ways to help (as this girl did) and get the details at the Center's Save Our Bats page.
The fungus that causes deadly white-nose syndrome in bats has reached Iowa -- the 21st state affected by the outbreak that has killed up to 7 million bats since it was first documented in upstate New York in 2006. The disease starves and kills bats as they hibernate, sometimes reaching 100 percent mortality in bat caves. There's good reason to believe people help spread the fungus when they enter caves.Bats are crucial to people's way of life and economy, saving farmers about $22 billion a year by eating crop pests, for instance. The Center for Biological Diversity has been working hard to fight white-nose syndrome for years -- from petitioning to protect bats to requesting scientific funding for white-nose research to pushing for crucial cave closures and seeking a national action plan from the White House.
Take action now to help bats get the urgent attention they need to survive. Then find more ways to help (as this girl did) and get the details at the Center's Save Our Bats page.
