Bat disease closes caves First published in print: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 SCHOHARIE — A spelunking group has closed its caves in Clarksville, Onesquethaw and elsewhere out of concern that people who go inside may be inadvertently spreading a fatal bat disease. The Northeastern Cave Conservancy voted unanimously Sunday in favor of the closures after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asked this month that caves be closed to help stop the spread of white nose syndrome, named for a white fungus found on the noses of afflicted bats. First found in 2007 in about 20 caves in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut, the disorder causes bats to leave hibernation sites in caves early due to possible starvation. Alarmed wildlife biologists called the bat deaths unprecedented and said estimates of 100,000 dead bats were reasonable. Conservancy President Robert Addis said, "The NCC has been deeply involved in the investigation and management of white nose syndrome since its discovery, and we want to do everything we can to continue to help." — Brian Nearing http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=785299&category=REGION
