El Malpais National Monument Caves Test Positive for Fungus
Lethal to Bats
Grants, NM - Tests by an Arizona laboratory of cave sediments in caves managed by the National Park Service at El Malpais National Monument have indicated the presence of low levels of Pseudogymnascus Destructans (P. destructans) a fungus that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats. WNS is a disease that is responsible for the deaths of millions of bats, even threatening some species with extinction. Its presence is confirmed in 33 states and seven Canadian provinces. Neither the fungus nor the disease affects humans or pets. Bats are vital for maintaining ecosystem health and are insect-eaters that contribute more than $3 billion annually to the U.S. agricultural economy through pest control.
Recent detections of P. destructans in Texas and Wyoming and the confirmation of WNS in Oklahoma and South Dakota have raised New Mexico to Intermediate Status according to the National and New Mexico White-Nose Syndrome Response Plans. Under this guidance, El Malpais National Monument has taken actions to protect the bat population residing in the 400+ lava tube caves within the national monument and to prevent the potential spread of the P. destructans fungus by people including park staff, researchers, and visitors.
These measures include:
1) Continue to require permits to access designated caves and require decontamination certification prior to entry.
2) Decontamination stations at cave trailheads to decontaminate visitor boots. Information available at Visitor Centers and trailheads to assist with this operation. Visitors will need to decontaminate other cave gear and clothing at home using guidance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Decontamination Protocol.
3) It is recommended that gear used at El Malpais National Monument and other locations in New Mexico not be used in areas not already affected by P. destructans. Additionally, visitors should be aware that locations outside of New Mexico may have restrictions against using this gear.
4) Signs of WNS will continue to be monitored in the bat population. You can help by photographing any dead bats and providing the picture and location to one of the rangers at one of the Visitor Centers, including El Morro National Monument.
Bats are the primary way the P. destructans spreads to other bats; however, it has been demonstrated that humans are capable of spreading it with contaminated equipment used in infected caves to an uninfected cave. Neither the fungus nor the disease affects humans or pets, but people can help limit the spread.
For more information or for questions please contact El Malpais National Monument:
Eric Weaver 505-285-4641 ext. 27, eric_weaver@nps.gov, or
Steve Baumann 505-285-4641 ext. 32, steve_baumann@nps.gov.
You may also learn more information from these sources:
* National white-nose syndrome website: https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/
* Map of WNS occurrence by county: https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/static-page/where-is-wns-now
* National Park Service white-nose subject pages, with videos, photos, maps: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bats/white-nose-syndrome.htm
- NPS -
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
