International Speleological Alpine Karst Group

Mitteilungen des Verbandes der deutschen Höhlen- und Karstforscher, 56(2), 36–38 (2010)

Das Weißnasensyndrom (White-Nose Syndrome) bei Fledermäusen – ein Problem nicht nur für reisende Höhlenforscher

White-Nose Syndrome rapidly spreads amongst US bat populations since 2006. Up to now, more than 1 million bats died caused by the fungus species Geomyces destructans. Cavers and naturalists must help to prevent the dissemination of pathogens as intensively as technically possible. Because of the potential hazards, all cavers with international and/or transcontinental action radius working in bat caves should clean, better even disinfect their clothing and equipment very intensively before and after caving. They also should document and report bat findings with White-Nose symptoms to experts without taking samples by themselves.