The current situation facing bat populations in Colorado poses a significant threat to the state’s ecological balance. Recent reports in late February 2024 revealed the presence of white-nose syndrome in two bats in Boulder County, followed by additional cases in Larimer County. This lethal fungal infection, first identified in North American bats in 2006 near Albany, New York, causes bats to lose vital nutrients and moisture, leading to premature awakening from hibernation.
Spread and Impact of White-Nose Syndrome
The rapid spread of white-nose syndrome across the United States, reaching as far as Washington state and California, highlights the severity of the situation. By 2021, the fungus had made its way to Montana and New Mexico before being confirmed in Colorado in 2022. The fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, thrives in cold environments, affecting bats during hibernation when their immune systems are weakened.
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