Deadly bat disease detected for first time in Glacier National Park
A little brown bat tested positive for white-nose syndrome as researchers study whether a vaccine can protect the park’s bats.
Millions of bats have died from the fungal disease, which researchers believe originated in Europe.
A little brown bat found dead in Glacier National Park was confirmed to have white-nose syndrome, a fatal disease caused by a fungus that infects hibernating bats.
The National Park Service (NPS) said the bat was found in the Saint Mary area of the Montana park in May. Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes the disease, was also detected in samples collected from live bats on the park's east side in June.
"These are the first detections of both the fungus and WNS in Glacier National Park and Glacier County," the NPS said in a statement.
Resource managers are trying to protect the bats of the area from white-nose syndrome. These bats are showing the classic signs of white-nose syndrome. (Credit: NYSDEC/Nancy Heaslip)
White-nose syndrome (WNS) causes bats to wake up during hibernation, which diminishes crucial fat reserves and can lead to dehydration, starvation and death. The fungus primarily spreads through bat-to-bat contact and can survive underground for years. The disease gets its name from the visible white fungal growth on the muzzles and wings of infected bats, per the NPS.
Strange behavior can also indicate the presence of WNS in bats, such as flying outside during the day in freezing conditions during the winter. Other signs include dead bats on the ground in winter or clusters of bats around the entrances of places where they hibernate, known as hibernacula.
Scientists have documented 10 bat species in the park, which all feed on insects and serve as prey for wildlife including weasels and raptors. Officials explained that declines in bat populations could have widespread consequences on the park's ecosystems and nearby landscapes.
Glacier National Park is currently researching a vaccine designed to protect wild bats from the disease. Between 2024 and 2026, park biologists captured and tagged 529 bats, giving roughly half the vaccine and the other half a placebo. The researchers will then monitor the bats' survival rates as they emerge from hibernation each spring to determine whether the vaccine is effective.
White-nose syndrome threatens bat populations
WNS was discovered in 2006 in New York state, and has since spread across North America, killing an estimated 6.7 million bats, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. So far, the disease has been confirmed in 42 states and nine Canadian provinces.
Specimen of a young bat, commonly known as bat. Rome (Italy), Aug. 22, 2017. (Photo by Marilla Sicilia/Archivio Marilla Sicilia/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
By 2018, three species declined by more than 90% across the eastern U.S. due to the disease: little brown bats, tri-colored bats and northern long-eared bats. The NPS said the declines have been "so fast and severe" that the northern long-eared bat has been listed as endangered, and the tri-colored bat has been proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Humans and pets cannot be infected by the disease, but people can spread the fungus on shoes, clothing and caving equipment. Park officials encourage safe practices to avoid accidentally spreading WNS.
"To help protect bats, never handle or pick up a bat," the NPS said. "After visiting a cave or other bat habitat, decontaminate gear, footwear and clothing by following U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decontamination guidance."
Located in Montana's Rocky Mountains, Glacier National Park is home to alpine meadows, melting glaciers, valleys, lakes and over 700 miles of trails, per the NPS. In addition to bats, the park has a large diversity of birds, insects, fish and other mammals.
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