Hi Dirk,
Good post and I'll gladly provide links to the most current decontamination protocol that all govt. agencies are following and that cavers follow as well. This was developed by USGS and USFWS and others and has been modified a few times due to new findings or better understanding of WNS transmission and decontamination needs.
http://static.whitenosesyndrome.org/site...nal_6.25.12.pdfThus far no one has put much research into the non hibernacula (cave) environments, though there are states and researchers who have studied this fungus or looked for it (conducted surveillance) in bat houses and structural roosts. Mostly this is due to the thermal conditions necessary for a "cold loving" fungus to survive.
People are testing cave environments across the country to see if for example our caves in the western U.S. provide the right thermal (temp and humidity) for it to potentially be spread and survive here, causing massive destruction of bats in the entire country.
While folks have detected the fungus in early spring after emergence in some non cave environments, this was right after emergence, so the bats may have just arrived from a cave.
Does this mean it isn't a worry? No, but it means this is currently thought to be a low risk or lower risk than typical cave environments with cold, damp conditions and hibernating bats with low immune system function (normal for their hibernation of course).
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WNS was brought into this discussion because bringing gear from one state to another including caving equipment or potentially any other equipment that has been in contact with bats in an infected area would be considered a poor idea, even if it is equipment used years ago or that which may be stored in some cool environment (old barn, basement, garage or shaded shed).
However, my issues with bat traps are not focused on the potential spread of WNS but rather the trap itself and catching hundreds of bats and having them in your possession without any special permit or license is not appropriate or necessary for our industry.
While the bulk of the bat exclusion community including yourself and others that I know you know, use the standard bat exclusion methods, there are obviously folks who want to "trap," it is in their DNA to say I caught 400 bats in your house, look here!
For whatever reason they decide to do it, my issue and stance is that the trap is an old idea that came along before folks all went mainstream and learned to use the most effective and accepted methods of exclusion for bats.
This throwback idea is even worse in the light of dwindling populations of bats across the East and Midwestern U.S. and Canada. We now have places where 50,000 bats in a cave have become 20 bats in a cave and that trend is not just the single cave, it is obviously across the region and local and regional extinctions are not only possible but probable even with the best scientists working with everyone possible to stop the threat.
Another example of why this is not appropriate involves capture of bats. Bat capture for any research is done with mist nets and harp traps unless they are in caves hibernating and can be handled with gloves right off the walls.
We are assisting a grad student on a project this summer in the mountains here and not only did he have to get training and show skill with these methods he had to comply and all those under him with 2 classes on animal care and use and occupational health.
While we work with a variety of these type of folks, this is just one example and shows there shouldn't be a guy with a box and a dryer hose capturing hundreds of live bats weekly or daily in Northeastern MI or anywhere else just because he is not forbidden at this time by law.
Laws have a funny way of not covering potentials and this is just a gross example where if your average wildlife managers (non-game or T&E) were sitting in a room discussing excluders, they would say, "yes those folks do a good job of getting the bats out using one way devices of all kinds and then sealing the structure."
However if someone were to say, "I know a few folks who are using a bat trap" the conversation would quickly change and I can guarantee will raise questions about the ethics of said excluders as an industry.
This is not to say if the DOH (dept. of health) wants a couple of bats due to a rabies exposure someone couldn't allow you under an exemption to utilize some device, however rabies in one bat or a bite of one bat, doesn't ever indicate an entire colony should or would be tested.
The video, pictures and other things we've been shown by those proud to use the box show another relevant topic. Folks don't seem to understand that even if you "trap" 400 bats and move them to a barn and release them, they don't necessarily stay, and even worse, many may die overnight or within days due to the stress of capture.
During my career, I have seen every wildlife species in North America is capable of capture myopathy and dying within hours, or days of release. So releasing 400 bats and thinking you just made a new colony and that all were healthy and safe is not based on any type of follow up or tracking and you aren't marking the bats so even if you go back and count, you can't tell me that it was a success.
So in summary, I'm against the trap in a straight and logical way, while there are other possibilities of threats including disease spread of transmission, it is primarily that it should have been outlawed, but hasn't been everywhere because most folks in management don't know it exists and I can guarantee you that is the case, even if a local warden or local biologist in some states does know it is there, the thousands of folks losing sleep over the millions of bats dying right now, have no idea this threat exists, until now!
I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to clarify on the WNS issues and to provide the decontamination protocol. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, this is an issue I believe is worth fighting for and I will be working with anyone who will listen to begin the process of removing this relic from being utilized in our industry for the betterment of not only the industry but the resource itself and our clients, who can see the normal approved methods being used by these or any other operators.
Justin
what I feel they look at the most is a great job one does.
