Andy,
There are a couple of errors/updates in
that advisory that you might want to pass along
to the powers that be. The link for the USFWS
white-nose page has changed to
<http://www.fws.gov/WhiteNoseSyndrome/>. There
is a newer USFWS decon protocol (June 2010) at
<http://www.fws.gov/WhiteNoseSyndrome/ppt/NPS_Decontamination_Protocols_Webinar_June_9_2010.ppt>,
also available as PDF on the NSS WNS page. For
decon your advisory says 10% bleach or 3% Lysol,
but the latter should actually be 0.3% Lysol (an
order of magnitude less), and not just any Lysol,
but specifically the antibacterial type with quaternary ammonium salts.
Mark Minton
At 11:02 AM 8/10/2010, Andy Gluesenkamp wrote:
I just received this advisory from our
permitting folks. It is being sent out to all
scientific permit holders who may work in caves
but I think cavers might find it of interest as
well. This is not a notice of closure or
anything of the sort. Just good ol' common sense.
Andy
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)
would like to make all scientific research
permit holders aware of a current Scientific
Collector Advisory concerning White-nose
Syndrome. While the majority of current permit
holders do not collect bats, this message is
intended to alert researchers to growing
concerns about the spread of this disease. The
following links will provide information to aid
in its identification, alert all to current
requirements surrounding the use of equipment,
and offer a TPWD point of contact for questions regarding this disease.
Scientific Collector Advisory
Considerations of White-nose Syndrome in Bats
during Scientific Collecting Activities
Since you have applied for a Wildlife
Collectorâs Permit to trap, salvage, or
collect bats, you are likely aware of White-nose
Syndrome (WNS) and the danger it poses to
populations of cave bats in North America . If
you are not familiar with this disease, please
take the time to familiarize yourself. A few
websites that provide good information and additional links are:
National Speleological Society http://caves.org/WNS
US Fish & Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html
Bat Conservation International http://www.batcon.org/wns
USGS National Wildlife Health Center
http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/white-nose_syndrome/index.jsp
Even if you are already aware of WNS, it is a
good idea to check one or more of these websites
regularly because new information is posted quite often.
Noticeable signs of a fungal infection are scars
and damage to wings and other membranous tissues
and/or white fuzz on the nose and wings. See the
following website for descriptions and pictures
of affected tissues
<http://www.fws.gov/northeast/PDF/Reichard_Scarring%20index%20bat%20wings.pdf
Examine all bats handled or collected for wing
damage and score them according to this index.
Pictures of suspicious damage should be taken and submitted.
Report any signs of WNS to John Young at Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department
([email protected]) as soon as possible.
Because human spread of WNS is considered a
possibility, the following special notes apply
to your Wildlife Collectorâs Permit Any
equipment that has contacted bats or has been
inside caves or mines in confirmed WNS-affected
states are prohibited from being used in Texas
. Equipment used in Texas should be
decontaminated with with a 10% bleach solution,
3% Lysol, or other USFWS recommended
disinfectant, before being used at another
location. For additional disinfection protocols see:
http://www.fws.gov/northeast/pdf/2008%20Summer%20Protocols_15May2008b.pdf
USFWS is requiring case-by-case approval for the
use of harp traps (especially at hibernacula
entrances during fall swarming and spring
emergence), please contact John Young
(512-389-8047) at Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department if you are planning to use a harp
trap in Texas or have other questions related to WNS.
Thank you for all you do.
Chris Maldonado
Wildlife Permits Specialist
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, Texas 78744
(512) 389-4647
(512) 389-4550 fax
Please reply to [email protected]
Permanent email address is [email protected]
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