A deadly fungal disease that’s killing bats in North America is threatening at least four bat species in Liberty Park in Twinsburg.
Biologists have confirmed the presence of white-nose syndrome in the park. The disease, which can decimate bat populations, was discovered in a dead, little brown bat found in mid-January outside one of the park’s caves.
Metro Parks, Serving Summit County, announced the find Wednesday after the bat was tested at the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study in Athens, Ga.
White-nose syndrome has killed more than 5 million bats in eastern North America since it was first detected during the winter of 2006. The disease can wipe out 80 to 100 percent of a bat population.
“It is a devastating disease and it has the potential to lead to an extinction event,” said Mike Johnson, chief of natural resources for Metro Parks.
Bats are vital to the agricultural industry because they eat insects that damage crops. A study published last year in the journal Science estimated that farmers could see losses of more than $3.7 billion without bats.
There is no known cure or treatment, Johnson said.
Biologists aren’t certain where the fungus came from, although it exists in Europe. The disease is found on European bats but they aren’t dying in great numbers, said Ann Froschauer, the national white-nose communications leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Biologists also aren’t certain how bats are affected by the fungus, which covers the animal’s body, grows into the skin and turns into white tufts near its nose.
One theory is that it irritates the bat and wakes it up during hibernation. While awake in winter, the bats can’t find enough insects and die of starvation.
“Right now, this disease only affects bats that hibernate in caves,” Johnson said.
Park biologists are worried because they have seen bats that should be hibernating congregating at the mouth of a cave.
The caves in Liberty Park house at least four hibernating species: the little brown bat, big brown bat, northern long-eared bat and tri-colored bat. The park estimates that there are “tens of thousands” of bats there.
The first documented case of white-nose syndrome in the state was last year in the Wayne National Forest in southern Ohio.
Johnson said that the park district has been monitoring bat populations for years, knowing that the disease would likely spread here someday. White-nose syndrome is found in 16 states and four Canadian provinces. But the geographic region affected will likely grow this year.
“I would expect that over the next couple months as we get into the [bat] survey season that we’re probably going to have additional spread in Ohio and the Midwest, as well,” Froschauer said.
Park biologists will continue to monitor the bats along with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Humans cannot contract the disease because it needs a cooler body temperature, but people can spread the fungus. Park officials are posting bright-red signs warning hikers to stay away and not to venture into caves.
Metro Parks released a video — available at www.youtube.com/summitmetroparks — that discusses the significance of the disease and shows what an infected bat looks like.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com.