Highly contagious and lethal bat disease found near Cle Elum
Biologists have confirmed the first known case of White-nose Syndrome east of the Cascades in a bat colony near Cle Elum.
White-nose Syndrome gets its name because of the white discoloration it causes on the noses of bats. Much of the disease is still a mystery, but it is lethal for bats. It infects their skin, creates holes in their wings and causes them to wake up early from hibernation.They lose valuable fat stores, suffer from dehydration and die.
“This area where we just had our recent confirmation in Kittitas County is not very far from North Bend. It really is just over the pass. So very close proximity to where we have found most of our cases before,” said Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Communication Manager Rachel Blomker.
“Biologists came to check out the colony and indeed they counted more than 750 bats there. The landowner said also that he found these bats and so he submitted them to us, gave us four back carcasses to send in for testing.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/highly-contagious-and-lethal-bat-disease-found-near-cle-elum/ar-AAGJ5jX