Seeking help from Congress to thwart disease that’s killing America’s bats

Ron Rosenberg — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:17:59 +0000

After learning how white-nose syndrome, a mysterious fungus that has killed more than 1 million hibernating bats and poses a serious threat to the nation’s wildlife, lawmakers at a Congressional hearing suggested the Dept. of Interior develop a new body to address wildlife diseases. Their comments came after biology professor Thomas Kunz, asked Congress for $17.1 million in research funding to stop the spread of white nose syndrome.

Contact Thomas Kunz, 617-353-2474, kunz@bu.edu

Northeast Bat-Killing Disease is Spreading Southward

Ron Rosenberg — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:57:08 +0000

From New Hampshire to Virginia, Thomas Kunz, biology professor and long-time expert on bats, searches for answers about White Nose Syndrome, the mysterious white fungus that continues to kill tens of thousands of bats. Like the disappearing honeybees and frogs, bats play a critical role in the balance of nature, consuming 50 to 100 percent their body weight in insects in a single night. He worries the mysterious disease may move further south.

“If this continues to spread, we are talking about extinctions. I’ve studied bats for 44 years. This is unprecedented in my lifetime. What are these insects going to do that aren’t being eaten? They can cause serious damage to crops, gardens and forests, further upsetting both the natural and human-altered ecosystems.”

Contact Thomas Kunz, 617-353-2474, kunz@bu.edu

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Seeking help from Congress to thwart disease that’s killing America’s bats

Northeast Bat-Killing Disease is Spreading Southward