© U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
California officials have confirmed four cases of white-nose syndrome in Northern California. The disease has killed millions of bats nationwide since it was discovered in 2006. In this file photo, an infected bat has a white fungus growing on its muzzle.
California officials have confirmed four cases of white-nose syndrome in Northern California. The disease has killed millions of bats nationwide since it was discovered in 2006. In this file photo, an infected bat has a white fungus growing on its muzzle.
Government biologists confirmed Friday that a number of bats found near Lassen Volcanic National Park had tested positive for the germ that causes white-nose syndrome — a relatively new disease that leaves a trademark smudge of white on the infected animal's muzzle.
The illness, which is caused by a cold-loving fungus, appeared suddenly in the Northeast just over a decade ago and has moved steadily west. The fungus has devastated North American bat species in some regions and pushed the natural pest controllers toward extinction.
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