Briefing:
What?s Killing All of the Bats? And Why Should We Be Worried?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
1:30 pm
Russell Senate Office Building 328a
Senator Leahy, Senator Cardin, and Senator Lautenberg are hosting a briefing
and discussion of White-Nose Syndrome in bats, an emerging ecological and
animal welfare crisis that poses a threat to agriculture, the environment, and
economic activity that is spreading across the country.
White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) is estimated to have killed well over five million
bats since its discovery in 2006. Since then, it has caused the most
precipitous decline of North American wildlife in the past century. With the
announcement yesterday of the discovery of WNS in Alabama, a total of 17
states< http://www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome/maps/WNSMAP_03-15-12_300dpi.jpg>
and four Canadian Provinces have been confirmed with the disease. This finding
in Alabama represents the southern-most occurrence of WNS in North America.
The loss of bats will likely have serious consequences, costing our nation?s
farmers billions of dollars<
http://www.fort.usgs.gov/Products/Publications/23069a/23069a.pdf>. Since bats
eat many insects, including pests that damage crops such as corn, cotton, and
potatoes, and that carry diseases such as West Nile Virus. Mining, energy
development, tourism, and other industries will be affected if more bat species
are declared threatened or endangered. And the absence of this keystone
predator may have profound impacts on the environment.
You are invited to attend this briefing to hear from leading experts who will
address these topics and more, including what can be done to stop WNS.
Speakers:
· Jeremy Coleman, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - National White-nose
Syndrome Coordinator
· Paul Phifer, Assistant Regional Director for Ecological Services -
USFWS Northeast Region
· David Blehert, Microbiologist for the USGS National Wildlife Health
Center
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