Destructive bat disease detected in New Mexico

For the first time, white-nose syndrome, a disease of hibernating bats, has been confirmed in New Mexico, including in neighboring De Baca County.

Samples from two live bats and two dead bats were collected in late April from Bureau of Land Management-managed caves in Lincoln and De Baca counties.

The two dead bats were confirmed with white-nose syndrome - one a fringed myotis in Lincoln County; the other a cave myotis in De Baca County.

Additionally, wing biopsies from two live cave myotis at the same Lincoln County site revealed microscopic lesions consistent with the disease.

White-nose syndrome is caused by an invasive fungal pathogen named Pseudogymnoascus destructans, or Pd. Although the fungus was previously was detected in New Mexico in 2021, evidence of the disease had not been confirmed in the state until now.

White-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats in North America since 2006. A powdery, white fungus grows on the skin of hibernating bats, often on the face, leading to irritation and dehydration. This causes bats to arouse early from hibernation and exhaust fat stores they need to survive the winter, often leading to death.

"We will continue to coordinate with our state, federal, tribal and non-governmental partners to test and implement prevention measures such as restricted access to affected caves to minimize the spread of the disease in New Mexico," said BLM New Mexico's Threatened and Endangered Species Program Lead Marikay Ramsey.

"Of the almost 30 species of bats known to occur in New Mexico, more than half are known or suspected to hibernate in the state during the winter," said James Stuart, non-game mammal specialist with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. "All these hibernating species are potentially vulnerable to WNS when they spend the winter in caves or mines where the Pd fungus has become established.

"We don't yet know to what extent WNS will impact our New Mexico bat populations, but we will continue to support monitoring of bat populations and caves throughout New Mexico for the presence of WNS and Pd."

Jim Stuart, a Game & Fish biologist, said in an email he wasn't aware of any significant bat caves on the caprock in Quay County but acknowledged the east side of the state is poorly studied in regards to those animals.

"There could be places in the caprock (crevices, if not caves) where smaller numbers of some bats could hibernate," he wrote. "Whether these hibernation sites would be suitable for supporting the fungus and therefore posing a threat to bats using them is unknown. The department would be interested in receiving reports from citizens aware of areas in the county where large numbers of bats are known to roost."

Although bats are the primary way the fungus spreads, possible spread by human activity in caves is a major concern. Neither the fungus nor the disease affects humans or pets, but people can help to limit the spread.

State and federal agencies in New Mexico and throughout the U.S. ask that outdoor enthusiasts help by following these recommendations:

- Respect cave and mine closures.

- Decontaminate footwear and all cave gear before and after visiting or touring caves and other places where bats live.

- Do not touch bats; report dead or sick bats to local agency rangers or wildlife biologists.

- Gear and clothing used in Pd-positive or infected areas should not be used in areas free of the fungus.

- To avoid accidentally transporting bats, check canopies, umbrellas and other outdoor items for any bats that may have roosted in a nook or cranny.