Millions of bats have died from this disease. Now it has been found in Alberta

White-nose syndrome, a deadly disease in bats, has spread to Alberta — two years after the fungus that causes the disease was first discovered in the province.

In an update released this month, the Alberta government reported that white-nose syndrome had been detected in two little brown bats sampled and released near Dinosaur Provincial Park, 225 kilometres southeast of Calgary.

Dayna Goldsmith, regional director of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative in Alberta, said the disease has now been confirmed in a total of three live bats sampled in early May.

The bats tested positive for the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, and microscopic lesions were found on their wings that were related to the fungal damage, Goldsmith said.

Biologists consider white-nose syndrome to be one of the most serious modern wildlife diseases in North America.

“Millions of bats have died from white-nose syndrome across Canada and North America to date,” Goldsmith said.

“I have waited a long time [white-nose syndrome] to get to Alberta. It’s definitely pretty sad that it’s here now.”

A strange fungus

The disease is caused by a fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, first found in bat droppings in southeastern Alberta in the spring of 2022.

The fungus thrives in cool, moist conditions similar to those bats seek for hibernation. Many bat species hibernate in caves and deep rock crevices.

Research suggests that the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome likely arrived from Europe via shipping or cave exploration. The disease was discovered in New York State in 2006 and is now found in every province in Canada except British Columbia.

“We expect the fungus and disease to spread north and west, affecting a number of bat species,” the province said in its online update.

Because bats hibernate in large groups for long periods of time, the fungus can easily spread.

“In some cases, all bats in individual caves die during the winter months,” the update said.

Pollinating bats and migratory birds that travel long distances and do not hibernate do not appear to be affected by white-nose syndrome.

When an infected bat lowers its body temperature during hibernation, the cold-loving fungus begins to invade and eat away at its skin. This can appear as white down on the bat’s face, ears, and wings, hence the name, white-nose syndrome.

It causes bats to wake up more often in the winter. With no food sources available, they use up their limited fat resources very quickly. Destruction of wing tissue also disrupts the water and electrolyte balance of the bats.

“They are basically starving,” said Jordi Segers, national scientific program coordinator for white-nose syndrome at the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative.

The fungus itself is not dangerous. It is only considered white-nose syndrome if it can grow and reproduce on a bat.

The fungus lies dormant on the skin of a bat when it is awake and active. The fungus can only grow at temperatures between 5 C and 20 C. During hibernation, a bat lowers its body temperature by between four and 14 degrees.

If the fungus is found in the soil or in a cave, this does not mean that there is a disease.

Bats are hidden helpers

Bats are often depicted in popular culture as terrifying creatures that sometimes end up in attics.

It is easy to forget their importance. They are the most important nighttime predator of mosquitoes and other flying insects. A bat can eat its body weight in insects in a single nighttime hunt.

Bats support unique cave ecosystems and act as natural pest controllers by eating insects that destroy crops. Segers said studies in North America have shown that bats are responsible for saving billions of dollars in agricultural losses each year.

“They are invaluable to our communities and ecosystems, yet they go largely unnoticed,” said Cory Olson, who coordinates the Alberta bat program for the Wildlife Conservation Society Canada.

What can we do to help?

Albertans can support and protect bats in several ways.

Anyone planning to visit a cave should be well informed about decontamination protocols. Fungal spores can survive for a long time on clothing, shoes and equipment. There is a risk that these spores can be transferred to new places where bats hibernate.

In Alberta, it is illegal to enter a cave where bats hibernate between September 1 and April 30.

The provincial government as well recommends that people maintain places where bats can rest, hibernate and forage.

Olson said if you have a bat on your property, it’s important not to disturb them while they’re raising their young. Bats usually leave on their own in the fall.

“If we throw them out in the middle of summer, it will kill their young, and we don’t want that,” he said.

“For bats that are resistant to white-nose syndrome, we want to ensure that they can survive and reproduce successfully.”

There is currently no cure or treatment available for white-nose syndrome.

Olson said WCS Canada, in collaboration with the Alberta government, universities and other organizations, is working to develop a probiotic cocktail that could make bats more resistant to the fungus.

“The next steps are to continue monitoring to see if the same level of mortality seen in eastern North America will occur in Alberta,” Olson said.

“It is possible that our bats could be more resistant. It may be wishful thinking at this point.”