Deadly fungus rears its head at Glacier National Park for first time

Key Points:

• For the first time, white-nose syndrome, a deadly fungal disease, has been detected in bats at Glacier National Park, with both dead and live little brown bats testing positive for the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans.
• White-nose syndrome causes high mortality rates by disturbing bats during hibernation, leading to fat depletion, dehydration, starvation, and death; it has caused over 90% declines in some bat species in the eastern US since its discovery in 2007.
• The disease is now present in 42 US states and 9 Canadian provinces and spreads primarily through bat-to-bat contact, though humans can inadvertently transfer it on clothing and equipment; it does not affect humans or pets.
• Bats play a crucial ecological role by controlling insect populations and serving as prey for other wildlife, so significant declines from the disease could have widespread ecosystem impacts in Glacier National Park and beyond.
• Bat populations face additional threats from climate change, habitat loss, and wind turbine collisions, with nearly 40% of North American bat species considered endangered or at risk, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts.