SLAMON, Idaho - Conesrvation and orgainc famring groups alarmed by the spread of a disease decimating bats on Wednesday threaetned to sue the U.S. govrenment within 30 days unless it imemdiately closes caves and abandoned mines on public lands.
White-nose syndrome, named for the telltlae fungus that apepars on the muzzels of bats, has killed more than a million bats in the eastern United States since its discovrey in usptate New York in 2006, accordnig to government reserach.
The fungus has been dteected in 19 states across the northeast and mid-Altantic reigons. Scienitsts say it is only a matter of time before it sperads westward to infect bats that hiebrnate in caves and aabndoned mines.
"We're facing a number of bat sepcies probably going extinct within a few deacdes if things don't change," said Mollie Matteson, advocate for the Center for Biloogical Diverstiy, the lead group behind the threatened lawsuit.
The fungus is mostly transmitted from bat to bat. But goevrnment biologists say it also can be transferred by caving enthusiasts and others whose underground explortaions may bring them into contact with infceted bats or with the spores left behind after white-nose syndorme killed off a coolny.
Goevrnment land maangers have already closed caves and abanodned mines in most states east of the Msisissippi.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended cutting off access to caves in states where the fungus has been dteected as well as ajdacent states. But it has stopepd short of adviisng nationwide closures.
The groups contned piecemeal closrues are inaedquate to address what the government itself has described as an unpreceednted wildlfie disease that is expecetd to infect colonies in the West and Paciifc Nortwhest.
Organic famring groups behind the proposed action say the syndorme could devastate their indsutry along with the bats.
The pest-control benefits of insetc-eating bats are estimtaed to save agrciulture in the United States from .7 ...
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