While this is strictly true, in other states (such as Arkansas)
representatives of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have been trying
their darndest to influence private landowners to also close their
caves to visitation, which has resulted in some rather hard feelings
between the USFWS folks and the local cavers.
Now I'm not trying to say that there aren't good reasons to close bat
caves, whether on public or private land, to visitation due to fears
of WNS transmission. I'm just pointing out that in the surrounding
states (AR, OK, NM) this topic has been quite contentious for awhile
now. The confirmation of the Geomyces destructans fungus on a Myotis
velifer from a cave in far western Oklahoma has really shaken up a lot
of Oklahoma cavers, who thought that they wouldn't have to deal with
this problem for at least one or two more years into the future.
Unfortunately the future is here now. No one knows how G. destructans
will affect Mexican freetailed bats, for example--one hopes that the
fact that they do not hibernate will help protect them, but that's
only a hope.
Diana
On Aug 4, 2010, at 8:39 AM, Andy Gluesenkamp wrote:
Don't forget that any TPWD action will effect only a tiny percentage
of Texas caves.
Andrew G. Gluesenkamp, Ph.D.
700 Billie Brooks Drive
Driftwood, Texas 78619
(512) 799-1095
[email protected]
--- On Wed, 8/4/10, Logan McNatt <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Logan McNatt <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Texascavers] TPWD, bats, and cavers
To: "David Ochel" <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, August 4, 2010, 12:23 AM
David, et al.,
I'm not sure why the EO "010-005" is not yet posted on the TPWD
website, because #s 001 to 007 are (except 005).
Please understand that the biologists and other folks involved in
the decision making process at TPWD are consulting with other
experts, and are not considering issuing some kind of blanket order
closing all TPWD caves. In fact, the Park Managers at Colorado Bend
(Cory Evans), Government Canyon (Deirdre Hisler), Kickapoo Cavern
(Mike Knezek), and Devil's Sinkhole (Mark Garrett) have been very
vocal in their support of all the tremendous volunteer work that
cavers have donated over decades. The Managers' input in the
process of deciding which caves to close (or not) definitely carries
weight. As does the input from a certain professional bat biologist
named Jim who also happens to be a very active TSA caver.
Keep in mind that the significant bat caves on TPWD properties have
had restricted access for years, e.g. Government Canyon Bat Cave,
Stuart Bat Cave, and Devil's Sinkhole. By far most of the work and/
or recreational caving done on the TSA projects does not involve bat
caves. As I said in my previous post, Gorman Cave is the only cave
that has been closed so far, and that is because the bats have begun
using the areas close to the entrance(s), and because guided tours
were going into the cave. I personally trust all of the people
mentioned above to make reasonable decisions based on all available
information. I hope all of you are willing to give them a chance to
do their job, and please refrain from wild speculations (which are
of course exceedingly rare on this list). O:-)
WNS is a complicated, expanding, and little-understood disease, so
let's hope we all make the "right" decisions, even though we're not
sure what they are.
For me the bottom line is: Imagine Texas without bats.
Sincerely,
Logan
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Ochel wrote:
> Hmm...
>
> It's missing from the list of executive orders on their website at
> http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/executive_orders/ - I
wonder
> where on the TPWD site they intend to post the list of closed caves
> that's mentioned in the order?
>
> Cheers,
> David
>
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Diana R. Tomchick
Associate Professor
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Department of Biochemistry
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Rm. ND10.214B
Dallas, TX 75390-8816, U.S.A.
Email: [email protected]
214-645-6383 (phone)
214-645-6353 (fax)
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