Game and Fish is asking for the public’s help in monitoring the states bat population. Results from monitoring work this spring suggest that a fungus that causes white-nose syndrome or WNS in bats, may be present in samples collected from multiple species in 5-counties across California and northwestern Arizona. Sick or dying bats observed during winter may be a sign of WNS and can lead scientists to roosting locations. The general public should not handle bats but can report bat sightings to park rangers or state biologists. WNS has caused significant population declines in several susceptible bat species. Bats become infected during hibernation, enabling the disease to spread quickly through a colony. The disease is not known to pose a direct health risk to people, pets or other wildlife.
