A deadly fungal disease in bats has made its way to the state of Washington, and humans are facing unexpected consequences.
What's happening?
As explained by KUOW last month, wildlife officials sounded the alarm on the fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome, announcing that it has spread to seven counties in Western Washington and four in Eastern Washington.
The fungal disease, which was first discovered in a cave in upstate New York in 2006, has killed millions of bats across the United States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's White-Nose Syndrome Response Team called it "one of the worst modern wildlife disease outbreaks," per KUOW.
Washington's King County was the first in the Western United States to report a case of white-nose syndrome in 2016, and the disease has since spread to 21 of Washington's 39 counties. Oregon has not reported any cases of the disease, but Idaho discovered it in 2021 in the far southeastern area of Lake County.
While white-nose syndrome poses no threat to humans, KUOW noted that humans could spread the disease to bats by unknowingly carrying fungal spores on their clothing or shoes.
Why is this important?
While humans are not in danger of contracting white-nose syndrome, the disease's detrimental effects on bat populations have significant ramifications.
Bats play a vital role in our ecosystems, especially in agriculture, by controlling pest populations. KUOW noted that Washington is home to 15 species of bats that "provide major economic benefits by eating insects all night long."
However, University of Chicago environmental economist Eyal Frank wrote in the journal Science that the dwindling number of bats to feed on insects has forced farmers into using harmful pesticides, which can contaminate air and water in the community, to protect their plants from pests.
Frank found that in areas across the Eastern United States where bat populations decreased due to the spread of white-nose syndrome, farmers increased their pesticide use by nearly a third, leading to more than 1,300 infant deaths in those areas from 2006 to 2017. Areas unaffected by dwindling bat populations didn't show increases in pesticide use or infant mortality rates.
Frank also reported that the increased pesticide use was ineffective, as crop output still decreased, and the fungal disease caused more than $39 billion in total economic damage.
What's being done about this?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that more than 52% of North American bats are at risk of becoming endangered or threatened due to white-nose syndrome, but there are actions that can help protect these creatures.
You can help by building bat houses, reducing pesticide use, and supporting conservation efforts dedicated to protecting bat habitats.
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