White Nose Syndrome reported in South Dakota.
Pseudogymnoascus destructans (formerly known as Geomyces destructans) is a psychrophilic (cold-loving) fungus that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fatal disease that has devastated bat populations in parts of the United States and Canada. Unlike other species of Geomyces, P. destructans grows in the temperatures found in winter bat hibernacula (4-20 °C). It was detected in South Dakota in May 2018.
US Fish and Wildlife Service
News - Disease outbreak
National Park Service
WNS and the disturbance of bats in hibernacula
Recent controversy has arisen over how and when to survey for the deadly WNS virus in the upper great plains and elsewhere. Here is our position
statement on this important issue.
WNS and captive studies of a threatened species
Recent controversy has arisen over the
removal of Townsend's big-eared bats
from the wild for use in captive studies. The SDBWG
opposes such programs
and offers our position
statement on this important issue.
Bat books for SD schools
SD-BWG
Bat Books for Schools Program has
provided 110 book-sets for public elementary school
libraries across South Dakota, but we still need your
help!
A Special
Thank-You to the SD-GF&P
Wildlife Diversity Program for their support.
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