As white-nose syndrome continues to make its way across North America, scientists have found that the deadly bat disease has spread across the Eastern U.S. and made its way to the Northwest. The finding stemmed from a test on a small brown bat that died at a Seattle-area research facility, which revealed that it was infected with white-nose syndrome originating from the Pseudogymnoascus destructans fungus.
The fungus, which weakens bats by eating away at their skin and destroying their biological rhythms, has killed over 6 million North American bats thus far. Until now, the westernmost known location of the fungus was Nebraska, but experts now worry that it will likely make its way into Oregon, if it hasn't already.
"We are extremely concerned," said Dan Ashe, federal fish and wildlife director.
Although the fungus is native to Europe and Asia, it made its first appearance in the U.S. in 2006 when researchers discovered infected bats in eastern New York state. Since then, the fungus has made its way through 32 states and five Canadian provinces.
Scientists are still unsure as to how the disease reached Washington, and they are working to determine whether the dead bat was alone or the first discovered victim of a larger infestation, although they believe that the latter possibility is the most likely.
As of now, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is working to keep watch on the area where the infected bat was discovered and search for other victims.
"The bat found near North Bend most likely had been roused from hibernation and was attempting to feed at a time of very low insect availability," said Katie Haman, a veterinarian with the department. "At this point we don't know where the infected bat may have spent the winter, but it seems likely that it was somewhere in the central Cascades."
"The concern has always been it would show up somewhere in North America and create a new center of detection and spread from there," said Jeremy Coleman of the U.S. Geological Survey. "We've been bracing for such a jump, fortunately it hasn't happened until now."
The effects of the disease have been described as the most sudden decline in American wildlife in recorded history.
