Deadly White-Nose Syndrome Fungus Found In Rocky Mountains Bats

The National Park Service says the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fatal disease affecting bats, has been detected in bats at the Holzwarth Historic Site area on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Officials said it was the first confirmed detection of the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) in Grand County, Colo. The invasive fungus can spread rapidly through bat-to-bat contact.

Park officials said swabs collected from bats in the Holzwarth area of the park earlier this year indicated a probability of Pd, so NPS wildlife biologists at the park collected bat guano, or droppings, from the area for followup testing. Laboratory tests conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the detection of Pd.

Park officials said the result is “worrisome,” as Rocky Mountain National Park is home to nine known species of bats, five of which can be found in areas above 11,000 feet. Colorado as a whole is home to 19 native bat species, and park officials say at least 13 of them may be susceptible to the disease.

“WNS has been blamed for millions of bat deaths nationwide since its initial detection in New York State in 2006,” park officials said. “In July 2022, the first confirmed case of WNS was reported in Southeastern Colorado. Pd and WNS have also been confirmed in Larimer County, Colorado.”

Park officials, along with state and federal wildlife officials, have been monitoring for Pd. for more than a decade. Although WNS does not cause illness in humans, they can spread the fungus to new places.

Park officials are urging visitors to properly decontaminate their gear and outerwear after visiting a cave or other bat habitat. People are also advised to never pick up or touch a bat, not only to avoid contaminating them, but to avoid contracting any other diseases the animal may be carrying, such as rabies.

Visitors should report any sightings of dead or injured bats to park staff.