'White Nose Syndrome' Devastating to Bats, Zoo Officials Say

The finding isn’t a surprise.

Since first emerging in New York in 2006, a fungal disease affecting the country's bat population has spread farther across the U.S. every year.

The results have been devastating for hibernating bats, with losses of up to 98 percent of infected colonies as the non-native fungus disrupts hibernation and spurs lesions and the white growth that gives the syndrome its name, zoo officials said.

What does this mean for Illinois bats?

"Because white-nose syndrome was just spotted in the state, we likely won’t see any local effect for several years," Lincoln Park Zoo President Kevin Bell said, in a written statement. "Chicago-area species such as big brown bats and little brown bats are now vulnerable, though. The only bats unlikely to be affected are those that migrate to warmer climates in winter, such as red bats and hoary bats."

On the positive front, zoo scientists anticipated the spread of white-nose syndrome in launching their massive monitoring project of Chicago-area bats last year.

READ: Zoo Scientists Ask Residents to Help With Bat Study

Zoo data on healthy populations will be vital in gauging the impact of the outbreak, officials said.

"Our ongoing monitoring work will also help tailor conservation efforts to protect species most in need," Bell writes.

Healthy bats are crucial to healthy ecosystems. Their nocturnal feasts play a big part in keeping pests like mosquitoes and crop-eating insects in check, zoo officials said.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is working to help Illinois bats as they face the threat. Residents can help, too, by visiting the syndrome's informational website.

Editor's note: The above information was provided by the Lincoln Park Zoo.