- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Published on: March 16, 2011
White-nose syndrome, a horrific disease that has killed millions of bats on the East Coast since its identification in 2006, is spreading fast across the United States, warns Rachael Long, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Yolo County. She dreads its arrival in California.
This disease is caused by a fungus that grows most noticeably on a bat’s muzzle, coating it in a white powder, hence the name "white-nose." It primarily affects hibernating bats by causing them to be more active, according to Long.
"As a result they wake up more often during the winter, burn up fat reserves, and die of starvation," Long said. Where the disease is occurring,...
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