White-nose syndrome decontamination procedures for backcountry subterranean projects
Wynne JJ. 2017. White-nose syndrome decontamination procedures for backcountry subterranean projects. Park Science. 33(1):50-56
White-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease caused by the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans, is responsible for the population decline of at least 10 subterranean hibernating bat species in eastern North America and has recently been confirmed in the northwestern United States. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), in concert with other federal and state agencies and university personnel, has developed, and periodically updates, a WNS Decontamination Protocol (e.g., USFWS 2016) for working in the subterranean realm. The protocol is a combination of scientifically tested and untested steps that provide a foundational framework for protecting hibernating bats from inadvertent human-assisted transmission of WNS to uninfected hibernacula. However, it does not specifically address extended backcountry research needs. During four research trips to Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument, Arizona, from 2011 through 2012, colleagues and I tested and refined backcountry WNS decontamination procedures. The procedures presented here are developed to complement the WNS Decontamination Protocol; provide a stepwise method for disinfecting equipment, clothing, and personnel; and proactively address WNS containment concerns in the backcountry.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Wynne, J.
- Units
- NRSS
- Keywords
- bats, caves, mines, Pseudogymnoascus destructans