Bats and White Nose Syndrome

Photo Credit: West Virginia Department Of Natural Resources

Some caves in the Canadian Rockies are home to bats, and are a hibernaculum - places where they overwinter. They are part of a healthy ecosystem and are important in the control of mosquitos and other insects. Bats should never be disturbed, particularly in winter when their energy reserves are critically low. You can find information on bats in Alberta on this external website.

Some bat populations in the northeastern United States are infected with a very serious disease known as White Nose Syndrome, which first appeared in 2006 and has resulted in the destruction of entire bat colonies. Biologists do not know if WNS can spread to western Canada, but the Alberta Speleological Society is helping the Province of Alberta monitor caves for its appearance. If you observe any bat colonies that exhibit signs of WNS, please send details to info@caving.ab.ca. This website page will be updated with information or recommendations as it becomes comes available.

The B.C. Bat Action Team has produced this newsletter on WNS threats in western Canada. There is good information on WNS in the United States, and this is a very good video on WNS.