Pennsylvania Game officials have identified about 250 bats with a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome. Kerry Grens reports on the mysterious die-off from the WHYY health and science desk. (Photo courtesy of the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation)
Transcript: ![Whitenose syndrome on Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown) bat. (Photo courtesy of the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation)]( "Whitenose syndrome on Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown) bat. (Photo courtesy of the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation)")
The animals died outside an abandoned coal mine in Lackawanna County. Game biologist Greg Turner says the deaths are a troubling development in a widespread die-off that has affected bats in New York and Vermont. White-nose syndrome was first confirmed in Mifflin County in December. Turner: To spread into the coal region of the northeastern part of the state, there’s just a whole plethora of underground abandoned mines there, and so yes it is spreading and at this point in time it seems like it’s spreading very very fast. Turner says it’s not clear whether the fungus is a cause or symptom of what is killing the bats. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is tracking the spread of white nose syndrome, in the hopes of managing the disease. Currently there is no way to stop it.
