What is "white nose syndrome"

n. A malady associated with the deaths of bats in North America, identifiable by a distinctive ring of fungal growth around the muzzles and on the wings.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease in North American bats which as of 2012 was associated with at least 5.7 million bat deaths. The condition is named for a distinctive fungal growth around the muzzles and on the wings of hibernating bats and was first identified from a February 2006 photo taken in a cave in Schoharie County, New York. It has rapidly spread. As of September 2014, the fungus has been found in caves and mines of 25 states throughout the Northeastern US, as far south as Mississippi, as far west as Missouri and as far north as five Canadian provinces.

The disease is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans which colonizes the bat's skin. No obvious treatment or means of preventing transmission is known, and some species have declined >90% within five years of the disease reaching a site.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has called for a moratorium on caving activities in affected areas and strongly recommends to decontaminate clothing or equipment in such areas after each use. The National Speleological Society maintains an up-to-date page to keep cavers apprised of current events and advisories.