A National Plan for Assisting States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing White-Nose Syndrome in Bats

Authors

Jeremy Coleman, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceFollow
Anne Ballmann, U.S. Geological Survey
Les Benedict, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe
Eric Britzke, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Kevin Castle, National Park Service
Walter Cottrell, Pennsylvania Game Commission
Paul M. Cryan, U.S. Geological SurveyFollow
Thomas DeLiberto, USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research CenterFollow
Anthony Elliot, Missouri Department of Conservation
Rebecca Ewing, U.S. Forest Service
Alan Hicks, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Richard Reynolds, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Jessica Rubado, Bureau of Land Management
Brooke Slack, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Lisa Williams, Pennsylvania Game Commission

Date of this Version

5-2011

Citation

A National Plan for Assisting States, Federal Agencies, and Tribes in Managing White-Nose Syndrome in Bats, 2011, pp. 1-18.

Abstract

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease responsible for unprecedented mortality in hibernating bats in the northeastern U.S. This previously unrecognized disease has spread very rapidly since its discovery in January 2007, and poses a considerable threat to hibernating bats throughout North America. As WNS spreads, the challenges for understanding and managing the disease continue to increase. Given the escalating complexity of these challenges, a highly coordinated effort is required for State, Federal, and Tribal wildlife agencies, and private partners to respond effectively to WNS and conserve species of bats. The plan proposed herein details the elements that are critical to the investigation and management of WNS, identifies key action items to address stated goals, and outlines the role(s) of agencies and entities involved in this continental effort.