August 22, 2016
The US Geological Survey and US Forest Service confirmed in early August that the fungus responsible for White Nose Syndrome in bats, found in Washington in March 2016, is of North American origin. The fungus from Washington was most genetically similar to strains from the eastern US, where WNS has killed millions of bats. Please see the full press release at www.usgs.gov/news/deadly-bat-fungus-washington-state-likely-originated-eastern-us for more details.
The BC Community Bat Program continues to collaborate with the BC Government and Wildlife Conservation Society Canada to monitor and prepare for the arrival of the fungus in western Canada. To contact the BC Community Bat Program, see www.bcbats.ca, email firstname.lastname@example.org or call 1-855-922-2287.