Grand Canyon Bat Tests Positive For A Fungus That Is A Cause Of White-Nose Syndrome

A bat captured at the Grand Canyon has tested positive for a fungus that is a cause of white-nose syndrome. The bat was captured and sampled for the fungus in April of 2019 during routine surveillance by park biologists. White-nose syndrome is a deadly disease for bats and can spread rapidly. Health officials say humans are not affected by WNS. The bat didn’t show signs of WNS and the disease hasn’t been detected in bats at the Grand Canyon. Park visitors can help protect bats by staying out of closed caves. One cave in the Grand Canyon is open to the public, the Cave of the Domes. Park visitors should avoid contact with bats and notify park rangers of any dead or sick bats they happen to see.