texascavers Digest 5 Jun 2009 17:19:42 -0000 Issue 769 Topics (messages 10839 through 10846):
PBSS Meeting
10839 by: J. LaRue Thomas
New Artcile on WNS
10840 by: Minton, Mark
TSS work session
10841 by: Ron Ralph
Texas Considering Closing Caves for WNS
10842 by: Minton, Mark
10843 by: Mark.Alman.l-3com.com
10845 by: Mark.Alman.l-3com.com
Re: WNS and ICS
10844 by: Jim Kennedy
Re: [NMCAVER] WNS and ICS
10846 by: George Veni
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--- Begin Message --- Greetings cavers, cave people, troglodytes, spelunkers, and just regular folksThe regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Permian Basin Speleological Society will be on Tuesday June 9th at 7:00 pm, once again in the back room at Murray's Deli which is located at 3211 West Wadley in Midland.Topics of discussion: What to do with our box of Hidden World of Caves (A Children's Guide to the Underground Wilderness), Next 5M dig date, other cave stuff...For further information contact an officer: Jacqui Thomas [email protected] , Sharon Long [email protected] , or Bill Bentley [email protected]Regarding The Hole News (especially trip reports): Kel Thomas [email protected]PBSS web page: http://www.caver.net/pbss/pbss.htmlThe Permian Basin Speleological Society was founded in October 1983 and was chartered as the 300th grotto of the National Speleological Society on January 18, 1984. The Permian Basin Speleological Society is an affiliated Grotto or Caving club with the Texas Speleological Association and the Southwestern Region of the National Speleological Society and supports the cave conservation ethics of the National Speleological Society.National Speleological Society web page: http://www.caves.org/ Texas Speleological Association web page: http://www.cavetexas.org Southwestern Region of the NSS web page: http://www.caves.org/region/swr/
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--- Begin Message ---Cavers, There is a scheduled second Wednesday work session of the Texas Speleological Survey June 13th at the JJ Pickle Research Center on Burnet Road north of highway 183. We are still planning for the International Congress of Speleology and packing computers, printers and books for the big event. I will also have the TSS PowerPoint presentation for ICS for your review. We will help copy a third of the Williamson County files for the data manager and continue to update electronic files. Come by and see if you would like to organize one of our cave rich counties. And both publication sales and the library will be open. If you attend, you will also be able to work on your own projects as well. The door will be open at 5:00 p.m. and stay open till we adjourn. The TSS office phone is 475-8802 if you get lost or stopped by the guard. Remember it is best to arrive before 6:00 pm, or the gate guards might not let you in! If you have questions or problems, please contact me at <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] or the office manager, Jim Kennedy. Please go to <http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/tsscalendar.htm> http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/tsscalendar.htm for additional information. Ron Ralph Cell: 797-3817 Map to the place is at: http://www.utexas.edu/maps/prc/ On PRC map 2 ("NW Area"), 18-A is the little building just above the "ra" in "Granberry". Park to the south in the PETEX lot across the street (Read Granberry Trail) from building 18-A
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Texas officials are considering closing the state’s caves out of fear that a deadly fungus associated with the growing number of bat deaths in the Northeastern U.S. may spread to this part of the country.
White-nose syndrome, so named because the white fungus appears on bats’ noses, has spread rapidly throughout the Northeast since it was first discovered in New York in the winter of 2006-07. It hasn’t been discovered in Texas, but it has already reached 10 states, including Oklahoma.
While many people may be creeped out by bats, the nocturnal creatures are considered crucial to the agricultural community. For Texas, home to 33 bat species, widespread deaths could be devastating. A 2007 study found that bats help control pests that cost U.S. farmers $1 billion annually.
"At this point we’re considering whether we should be closing caves on state-owned lands," said John Young, a Texas Parks and Wildlife mammalogist. "We have a number of them on state-owned lands."
The U.S. Forest Service has already closed caves and old mines from Oklahoma to Maine. But the agency has no caves in its national forests or grasslands in Texas, spokeswoman Gay Ippolito said.
The situation has become serious enough that two subcommittees of the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee are planning to address it in a hearing Thursday.
Last week, Bat Conservation International hosted a conference in Austin to prepare for the hearings and bring experts from across the country to discuss the subject.
"One of the lead scientists at the meeting said this is the worst wildlife crisis documented in North America in the last century," said Merlin Tuttle, the group’s founder, who was its president/executive director until Sunday.
"With its rate of spread it could certainly be in Texas within two years," Tuttle said. "We just don’t know. We do know it is something that is certainly killing 95-100 percent of the bats it comes in contact with."
Batty bucks
A 2006 report in the scientific journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment determined that bats provided a $1.7 million benefit to the eight South Texas counties in their study area.
The only glimmer of hope for Texas is that Mexican free-tailed bats, the predominant species in Texas, is migratory and doesn’t hibernate in winter. So far, all the species that have had large die-offs hibernate in colder climates in the Northeast. White-nose syndrome appears to lay dormant during the warmer summer months and attacks bats during their winter hibernation, Tuttle said, but there are many unanswered questions.
"We don’t even know for sure if the fungus itself is the problem or symptom of the problem," Tuttle said. "We do know that bats with this fungus on them arouse far more than normal during normal hibernation. The bats are dying in an emaciated status. The fungus is a strong suspect, but we need to confirm it is the problem. Once we confirm it, we need to learn how it is transmitted — and once it is transmitted, how it attacks the bats."
Though it is believed that the fungus is transferred from one bat to another, there is some concern that researchers’ clothing and equipment could spread it from cave to cave. That is why caves have been closed across the country.
Restricting access
Bracken Cave, outside of San Antonio, is home to the largest Mexican free-tailed bat colony in the world. Its owner, Bat Conservation International, restricts access: The public can view bat emergences but cannot enter the cave.
Experts say the public can safely view bat emergences at popular sites like Bracken Cave and the Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown Austin. At the Eckerd James River Cave in the Hill Country, the Nature Conservancy of Texas allows escorted viewings of the emergences from April through October.
Visitors do not enter the cave and researchers haven’t been inside for at least four or five years, said John Herron, the Texas chapter’s director of conservation.
But Tuttle said the fear is that some researcher will inadvertently bring the fungus to Texas.
"The big worry is while scientists are trying to find a solution, someone from an infected area will bring spores from the fungus to a cave in Texas from their caving gear or even on their human bodies," Tuttle said. "It could get a big hopscotch leap, which would be terrible. We need every day we have to find a solution before it arrives."
BILL HANNA, 817-390-7698
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--- Begin Message ---Wow! This is starting to hit closer and closer to home. This is further proof that we will have to be extremely diligent and thorough with our decon during ICS when visiting the state's caves. IF we're able to visit, I should say. ICS is a little over a month away. Thanks for posting this, Mark! Mark A. From: Minton, Mark [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 11:23 AM To: nmcaver; gvks; [email protected]; txcaver Subject: [Texascavers] Texas Considering Closing Caves for WNS The following article says that the Texas is considering closing all caves in the state to ward off the possible introduction of White Nose Syndrome. The order would only apply to state-owned caves. I wonder how that would affect the upcoming ICS/NSS convention. <http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1408256.html> Mark Minton Posted on Mon, Jun. 01, 2009 As fungus kills bats elsewhere in the U.S., Texas considers closing its caves By BILL HANNA [email protected] Texas officials are considering closing the state's caves out of fear that a deadly fungus associated with the growing number of bat deaths in the Northeastern U.S. may spread to this part of the country. White-nose syndrome, so named because the white fungus appears on bats' noses, has spread rapidly throughout the Northeast since it was first discovered in New York in the winter of 2006-07. It hasn't been discovered in Texas, but it has already reached 10 states, including Oklahoma. While many people may be creeped out by bats, the nocturnal creatures are considered crucial to the agricultural community. For Texas, home to 33 bat species, widespread deaths could be devastating. A 2007 study found that bats help control pests that cost U.S. farmers $1 billion annually. "At this point we're considering whether we should be closing caves on state-owned lands," said John Young, a Texas Parks and Wildlife mammalogist. "We have a number of them on state-owned lands."
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--- Begin Message ---As a follow up, If any Grotto has not done a program on the dangers of WNS and the decon procedures that must be followed, please contact the TSA Conservation Chair, Lyndon Tiu, at [email protected]. Lyndon has supplied each Grotto in the state with a CD containing the excellent program Jim Kennedy gave at the Spring Convention detailing the dangers and devastation this syndrome has already caused and techniques to help slow and, hopefully, prevent its further advance. If your Grotto has not shown this yet, I implore you to do so before attending or volunteering with trips at ICS. Further info is available at the TSA homepage: http://www.cavetexas.org/information/white_nose_syndrome.html Thanks! Mark Alman - TSA Chair From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 11:35 AM To: Minton, Mark; nmcaver; gvks; [email protected]; txcaver Subject: RE: [Texascavers] Texas Considering Closing Caves for WNS Wow! This is starting to hit closer and closer to home. This is further proof that we will have to be extremely diligent and thorough with our decon during ICS when visiting the state's caves. IF we're able to visit, I should say. ICS is a little over a month away. Thanks for posting this, Mark! Mark A. From: Minton, Mark [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 11:23 AM To: nmcaver; gvks; [email protected]; txcaver Subject: [Texascavers] Texas Considering Closing Caves for WNS The following article says that the Texas is considering closing all caves in the state to ward off the possible introduction of White Nose Syndrome. The order would only apply to state-owned caves. I wonder how that would affect the upcoming ICS/NSS convention. <http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1408256.html> Mark Minton Posted on Mon, Jun. 01, 2009 As fungus kills bats elsewhere in the U.S., Texas considers closing its caves By BILL HANNA [email protected] Texas officials are considering closing the state's caves out of fear that a deadly fungus associated with the growing number of bat deaths in the Northeastern U.S. may spread to this part of the country. White-nose syndrome, so named because the white fungus appears on bats' noses, has spread rapidly throughout the Northeast since it was first discovered in New York in the winter of 2006-07. It hasn't been discovered in Texas, but it has already reached 10 states, including Oklahoma. While many people may be creeped out by bats, the nocturnal creatures are considered crucial to the agricultural community. For Texas, home to 33 bat species, widespread deaths could be devastating. A 2007 study found that bats help control pests that cost U.S. farmers $1 billion annually. "At this point we're considering whether we should be closing caves on state-owned lands," said John Young, a Texas Parks and Wildlife mammalogist. "We have a number of them on state-owned lands."
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--- Begin Message ---Mark, and all - the ICS has been planning around WNS for the past 2 years. There will be a set of cleaning/decon protocols in the Program book. There will be cleaning/decon stations on campus. There will be trash bags (for gear) and cleaning products on all the buses and vans. Many caves have been removed from the visitation list because of WNS. Many trips have been cancelled outright because of WNS. Timing could not be worse, having this happen right as we are planning one of the biggest and most important caving events in the world. But we are Taking precautions not only to avoid premature introduction to Texas, and also to avoid potential cross-contamination and introduction into yet another country. But as George keeps saying, this is an event not to miss, and we need everyone possible to attend, partly to make up lost revenue from the cancelled trips and to offset the additional (unplanned) expenses from dealing with WNS. -- Jim From: Minton, Mark [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 11:23 AM To: nmcaver; gvks; [email protected]; txcaver Subject: [Texascavers] Texas Considering Closing Caves for WNS The following article says that the Texas is considering closing all caves in the state to ward off the possible introduction of White Nose Syndrome. The order would only apply to state-owned caves. I wonder how that would affect the upcoming ICS/NSS convention. <http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1408256.html>
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--- Begin Message ---Over one month ago, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department granted access to their non-bat caves for the ICS (we will have access to the Devil's Sinkhole to watch bats fly out, but we can't enter). I am now checking to see if that policy has changed. Stay tuned. George Veni Chairman, 15th International Congress of Speleology From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jim Kennedy Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 10:43 AM To: Minton, Mark; nmcaver; gvks; [email protected]; txcaver Subject: Re: [NMCAVER] WNS and ICS Mark, and all - the ICS has been planning around WNS for the past 2 years. There will be a set of cleaning/decon protocols in the Program book. There will be cleaning/decon stations on campus. There will be trash bags (for gear) and cleaning products on all the buses and vans. Many caves have been removed from the visitation list because of WNS. Many trips have been cancelled outright because of WNS. Timing could not be worse, having this happen right as we are planning one of the biggest and most important caving events in the world. But we are Taking precautions not only to avoid premature introduction to Texas, and also to avoid potential cross-contamination and introduction into yet another country. But as George keeps saying, this is an event not to miss, and we need everyone possible to attend, partly to make up lost revenue from the cancelled trips and to offset the additional (unplanned) expenses from dealing with WNS. -- Jim From: Minton, Mark [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 11:23 AM To: nmcaver; gvks; [email protected]; txcaver Subject: [Texascavers] Texas Considering Closing Caves for WNS The following article says that the Texas is considering closing all caves in the state to ward off the possible introduction of White Nose Syndrome. The order would only apply to state-owned caves. I wonder how that would affect the upcoming ICS/NSS convention. <http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1408256.html>
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