White Nose Syndrome: Is Pennsylv...(ll-footedbats. The Game Commission w...),Health

The Game Commission will have a chance to shed light on WNS as soon as this summer when bats head to Pennsylvania maternity roosts, such as Canoe Creek Church and "bat condos" on State Game Lands. "There's no doubt some New York bats summer in Pennsylvania, and there's a possibility they could influence the health of some maternity colonies," von Oettingen said. "So it will be important for Game Commission biologists to monitor the population and health of their colonies."

The USFWS plans to continue facilitating and coordinating the regional response to WNS, and is looking for sources of additional funding to help states sort out what's happening within their borders. It also will continue to analyze suspect bats at its laboratories and coordinate to have other leading laboratories assist in this effort.

In Pennsylvania, Turner said the Game Commission will focus on summer maternity roosts and prepare for monitoring bats heading into hibernacula in the fall. He also noted Northeastern bat biologists will meet in June to establish priorities for collecting data at hibernacula this fall and winter, and brainstorm for funding to help defray the cost of additional fieldwork. Without supplemental funding or manpower assistance from other states, however, there will be a limit to how much fieldwork the Game Commission can accomplish on this important front.

Bats are a tremendous asset to wildlife communities, and humans. Collectively, they eat insects by the tons and spare Pennsylvanians from myriad backyard flying pest and crop-damage issues. Unfortunately, people know more about elephants than they do bats. So misinformation about bats often overshadows the good they do and their importance in Pennsylvania's biodiversity. Fore more information on bats, visit the Game Commission's website at http://www.pgc.state.pa.us. To learn more about WNS, visit the USFWS's we
'/>"/>