Deadly mushroom appears in Glacier National Park for the first time

For the first time, a very dangerous fungus has been detected in several bats in Glacier National Park, the National Park Service announced this week.

In a news release issued Wednesday, park officials confirmed that a little brown bat found dead in the Saint Mary area of ​​the park in May had tested positive for white-nose syndrome, a disease caused by a fungus called Pseudogymnoascus destructans. The following month, several live bats on the east side of the park also tested positive for the fungus, the release said.

“WNS causes high mortality rates and rapid population declines of affected species,” the National Park Service said. “Three species, little brown bats, northern long-eared bats, and tri-colored bats, declined by more than 90% in the eastern United States in 2018.”

The disease, first detected in North America in 2007, is named for the white fungus that grows on the faces, ears and wings of bats. This causes bats to wake up during hibernation, prematurely depleting their fat stores, which can lead to dehydration, starvation and death, according to the National Park Service. The disease, which spreads primarily through bat-to-bat contact, is now active in 42 states and 9 Canadian provinces.

Although people can occasionally spread the infection through their clothing, shoes and spelunking equipment, the National Park Service says white-nose syndrome does not affect humans or pets. The fungus only survives in cold temperatures between 41 and 68 degrees, which is much lower than the normal human body temperature.

Still, officials recommend people help protect bats and the important role they play in the park’s ecosystem. These guidelines include never handling or picking up any of the animals and following federal decontamination guidelines after visiting a cave or bat habitat.

Ten species of bats live in Glacier National Park and feed on insects, the National Park Service said. They also serve as food for the park’s raptors and weasels. According to the Nature Conservancy, bats help control insect populations, including mosquitoes. But the disappearance of a bat population could have lasting consequences.

“A significant decline in bat populations could have far-reaching effects on park ecosystems and neighboring landscapes,” the National Park Service said.

Beyond white-nose syndrome, bat populations are also threatened by climate change, habitat loss and collisions with wind turbines, according to the National Park Service. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, nearly 40 percent of the 43 species of bats living in the United States and Canada are either officially endangered or candidates for listing as endangered.