BAR HARBOR, Maine — The National Park Service says a mysterious ailment that has killed millions of bats in the eastern United States has been discovered in Maine’s Acadia National Park.
Park Superintendent Sheridan Steele says he is disappointed that what is known as white-nose syndrome has been confirmed. The fungus is harmless to humans but is lethal to bats, which play an important role in healthy ecosystems by managing mosquitoes and other biting insects.
White-nose syndrome was discovered previously elsewhere in Maine. It gets its name because infected bats have white fungus on their muzzles.
Steele says the park service is working with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center to find ways to reduce the spread in Maine’s bat populations.
It won’t be long before we join them. It’s funny how even though we know this is caused by commercial pesticide…everyone is still using them. If the lives of these bats were good for the corporate bottom line the issue would be addressed . Now without any natural protection from bats we can just spray more nasty chemicals on our food….
well said-I agree…