Biologists are asking residents in Vermont and New Hampshire to report unusual winter bat activity. Bats afflicted with white nose syndrome may awaken from hibernation, leave their roosts in caves and mines apparently in search of food, and end up at residences, buildings, and other structures in an effort to escape the inhospitable winter temperatures.
"As a result, citizens living in regions near caves or mines with affected bats may witness unusual levels of activity and mortality of these animals," says Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department wildlife biologist Scott Darling. "Although the disease has decimated populations of some bat species, citizen reports of dying bats help us monitor the spread of the disease throughout the state. Last year, citizen reports of dying bats shifted northward as the disease moved to the Canadian border. It will be very interesting to see if the disease is continuing to infect bats, or if bat populations are now so low that there are few bats left to become sick."
To assist in the monitoring of the disease, the department is soliciting citizen reports of sightings of dead or dying bats, as well as unusual observations of bats flying in the daytime. Most easily, citizens in both Vermont and New Hampshire are asked to report their observations on-line by visiting the department's website and click on Report Sick-acting Bats.
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