Wildlife officials are asking the public to be on the lookout for sick or dead bats after a little brown bat, infected with a disease caused by an invasive fungus that has killed millions of bats across North America, was found crawling on a bike path in Longmont.
The infected bat, discovered late last month, was only the second bat ever in Colorado to show clinical signs of the deadly bat disease, known as white-nose syndrome, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Monday announcing the discovery. A third bat with the disease was found in Boulder two weeks later, suggesting that more bats have been exposed and may be found in the coming weeks.
The fungus spreads from bat to bat, making it impossible to stop its spread in the wild, officials said.
The disease’s impact on bats in Colorado could be devastating for the state’s ecosystem and economy, officials warned. Of the 19 bat species native to the state, at least 13 may be susceptible to white-nose fungus. The voracious insect-eaters also play a big role in pest control and contribute an estimated $3 billion annually to the U.S. agricultural economy, according to scientific studies.
“While it is unfortunate to discover this deadly disease in a second Colorado bat species, CPW did anticipate that this would happen based on what has been documented in other states,” said Dan Neubaum, CPW’s species conservation program manager. “We will continue to monitor the spread of the disease with our partners and ask the public to report sick or dead bats to CPW, particularly when found during winter and spring months.”
☀️ READ MORE
The sick bat appeared to be dehydrated with brittle wings and couldn’t fly when a wildlife rehabber collected it from the Longmont bike path Feb. 29, CPW said. CPW collected biological samples and submitted them for testing at Colorado State University, which confirmed the presence of white-nose fungus in the bat.
The first time the fungus was discovered in bats in Colorado was in March 2023, when a National Park Service staff member collected a type of bat called a Yuma bat at Bent’s Old Fort near La Junta, CPW said.
The fungus does not infect humans or pets and bats are the primary way the fungus spreads, CPW said. But the fungus can be transported on gear and clothing that has been in contact with contaminated environments, like caves where bats hibernate.
People who visit caves should decontaminate their gear to prevent spreading the fungus, CPW said, and if you discover a sick or dead bat, do not touch it and report it to CPW or the public health department.
White-nose syndrome was first documented in New York state in 2006. Since then, it has been confirmed in 12 North American bat species and has been detected in 40 states and eight Canadian provinces.
To report a dead or sick bat, call CPW at (303) 291-7771 or email wildlife.batline@state.co.us.