A fungus responsible for killing millions of bats across North America has been detected for the first time in both Glacier and Yellowstone national parks.
Glacier National Park officials confirmed the presence of white-nose syndrome in a little brown bat found dead in the St. Mary area in May. Samples collected from live bats in June also confirmed the presence of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes the disease, in multiple bats on the park’s east side.
These are the first detections of both the fungus and white-nose syndrome in Glacier National Park and Glacier County.
Meanwhile, Yellowstone National Park biologists detected the fungus on 28 little brown bats from two colonies in the northern portion of the park during monitoring this summer.
It marks the first detection of the fungus in Yellowstone since bat population monitoring began in 2019. Yellowstone officials have not confirmed cases of white-nose syndrome in the park.
White-nose syndrome is a disease that damages bats’ skin and disrupts hibernation, causing them to wake more frequently and deplete the fat reserves they need to survive winter. The disease can lead to dehydration, starvation and death.
The fungus spreads primarily through contact between bats or contaminated surfaces in hibernation sites. While it does not harm humans, people can unknowingly spread it on clothing and equipment after visiting affected caves.
Park officials encourage visitors to avoid direct contact with bats and report unusual bat behavior to park rangers.
Bats play an important role in park ecosystems by controlling insect populations and serving as prey for other wildlife.
Glacier National Park has monitored bat populations since 2011, documenting 10 species in the park. Yellowstone began its monitoring program in 2019 with support from Yellowstone Forever.
More information is available through Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park.
Photo: Byron Sacry
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