BATS In Decline 45 Total Species North American Bat Species North of Mexico as of 2015 18-31% Species At Risk 7% Decline in Conservaon Status Between 2000 and 2015 The esmated number of bats killed by white-nose syndrome in North America. The disease is caused by a fungus from Eurasia, which was acciden- tally transported by humans. 1. DISEASE White-nose syndrome, a spreading fungal disease, wipes out enre colonies of bats. WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME Caused by fungal species Pseudogymnoascus destructans The fungus invades the skin ssues of bat faces and wings. The disease causes hibernang bats to awake repeatedly during the winter, burning fat reserves and leading to mortality. THE SYMPTOMS 5.7 MILLION Big brown bat (Eptesicus Fuscus) NatureServe Conservaon Status: Secure Populaon aﬀected to an unknown degree by white-nose syndrome Photo from Bat Conserva- on Internaonal by Bruce D. Taubert 2. WIND TURBINE STRIKES Bats, especially when they are migrang, are killed when they ﬂy into turbines. 0.77 0.78 0.79 0.80 0.81 0.82 0.83 0.84 0.85 2000 1985 2015 Temporal change in an index of the conservaon status of North American bats.Index values range from 1.0 (all species secure) to 0.0 (all species exnct). Lile brown myos (Myos lucifugus) NatureServe Conservaon Status: Vulnerable Formerly very abundant, now rapidly declining due to white-nose syndrome Photo from Bat Conservaon Internaonal by Michael Durham MAJOR THREATS TO BATS Gray myos (Myos grisescens) NatureServe Conservaon Status: Apparently Secure. Vulnerable to massive mortality from the white-nose syndrome disease. Photo from Bat Conservaon Internaonal by J. Sco Altenbach 3. HUMAN DISTURBANCE People connue to disturb cave-roost- ing bats, causing reproducve failure and reduced winter survival. Bats connue to face habitat loss due to deforestaon and urbanizaon. Index of Conservaon Status Improving Declining

BATS - NatureServeBATS In Decline 45 Total Species North American Bat Species North of Mexico as of 2015 18-31% Species At Risk 7% Decline in Conservation Status Between 2000 and 2015

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BATSIn Decline

45Total Species

North American Bat SpeciesNorth of Mexico as of 2015

18-31%Species At Risk

7%Decline in Conservation StatusBetween 2000 and 2015

The estimated number of bats killed by white-nose syndrome in North America. The disease is caused

by a fungus from Eurasia, which was acciden-tally transported by humans.

1. DISEASEWhite-nose syndrome, a spreading fungal disease, wipes out entire colonies of bats.

WHITE-NOSE SYNDROMECaused by fungal speciesPseudogymnoascusdestructans

The fungus invades the skin tissues of bat faces and wings. The disease causes hibernating bats to awake repeatedly during the winter, burning fat reserves and leading to mortality.

THE SYMPTOMS

5.7 MILLION

Big brown bat(Eptesicus Fuscus)

NatureServe Conservation Status: Secure

Population affected to an unknown degree by

white-nose syndromePhoto from Bat Conserva-

tion International byBruce D. Taubert

2. WIND TURBINE STRIKESBats, especially when they are migrating, are killed when they fly into turbines.

0.77

0.78

0.79

0.80

0.81

0.82

0.83

0.84

0.85

20001985 2015

Temporal change in an index of the conservation status of North American bats.Index values range from 1.0 (all species secure) to 0.0 (all species extinct).

Little brown myotis(Myotis lucifugus)NatureServe Conservation Status: VulnerableFormerly very abundant,now rapidly decliningdue to white-nose syndromePhoto from Bat Conservation International by Michael Durham

MAJOR THREATS TO BATS

Gray myotis (Myotis grisescens)

NatureServe Conservation Status: Apparently Secure.

Vulnerable to massive mortality from the

white-nose syndrome disease.Photo from Bat Conservation

International by J. Scott Altenbach

3. HUMAN DISTURBANCEPeople continue to disturb cave-roost-ing bats, causing reproductive failure and reduced winter survival. Bats continue to face habitat loss due to deforestation and urbanization.

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