Managing White-Nose Syndrome: Managing White-Nose Syndrome: the Federal Responsethe Federal Response

Jeremy T. H. Coleman, Mike Armstrong, Barbara Douglas, Robyn A. Niver, Lori Pruitt, Noelle L. Rayman,

and Susanna L. von Oettingen

Federal Agencies

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Department of AgricultureU.S. Department of Agriculture

U.S. Department of DefenseU.S. Department of Defense

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the lead for coordinating the Federal agency lead for coordinating the Federal agency response to white-nose syndromeresponse to white-nose syndrome

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the lead for coordinating the Federal agency lead for coordinating the Federal agency response to white-nose syndromeresponse to white-nose syndrome

Mission Statement:

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

USFWS Priorities

National Wildlife Refuge System: Conserving Our Lands and Resources

Landscape Conservation: Working With Others

Migratory Birds: Conservation and Management

Threatened and Endangered Species: Achieving Recovery and Preventing Extinction

Aquatic Species: National Fish Habitat Action Plan and Trust Species

Connecting People With Nature: Ensuring the Future of Conservation

USFWS Priorities

National Wildlife Refuge System: Conserving Our Lands and Resources

Landscape Conservation: Working With Others

Migratory Birds: Conservation and Management

Threatened and Endangered Species: Achieving Recovery and Preventing Extinction

Aquatic Species: National Fish Habitat Action Plan and Trust Species

Connecting People With Nature: Ensuring the Future of Conservation

Listed Bats

http://www.fort.usgs.gov/WNS/

1133

22

6688

55

44

WNS in Region 5

1.1. ContainmentContainment

2.2. SurveillanceSurveillance

3.3. ResearchResearch

4.4. CommunicationCommunication

Timeline of Response in R5

January, 2008January, 2008

USFWS requested to assist with coordination of WNS USFWS requested to assist with coordination of WNS

investigationinvestigation

USFWS, VTDFW, and NYSDEC press releases on WNS USFWS, VTDFW, and NYSDEC press releases on WNS

and and recommendations for staying out of caves/minesrecommendations for staying out of caves/mines in in

NY and VTNY and VT

Conference callsConference calls established to coordinate research and established to coordinate research and

managementmanagement

USFWS USFWS WNS webpageWNS webpage up for public dissemination of up for public dissemination of

informationinformation

Timeline of Response in R5

February, 2008February, 2008

First First decontamination protocolsdecontamination protocols drafted drafted

June, 2008June, 2008

Coordination structure proposedCoordination structure proposed

Task groupsTask groups formed formed

October, 2008October, 2008

RFP announced for RFP announced for WNS researchWNS research

- (Ultimately ~$735,000 for research in 2008/2009 in R5)- (Ultimately ~$735,000 for research in 2008/2009 in R5)

Response by RegionResponse by Region

Region 5 - immediate responseRegion 5 - immediate response

Unaffected Regions (3 & 4), and some states, Unaffected Regions (3 & 4), and some states, are working on Response Plans to prepare for are working on Response Plans to prepare for WNSWNS

AnthropogenicMovement of peoplefrom cave to cave

Transmission:Bat-to-batLittle brown bat movement to summer colonies from Mt. Aeolus, VT hibernaculum

Containing the Spread

Decontamination

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/wnscavers.html

Cave Advisory – March, 2009

Due to threat of human Due to threat of human transmission, USFWS transmission, USFWS recommends that people recommends that people stay out of caves and stay out of caves and abandoned mines to help abandoned mines to help slow the spread of WNSslow the spread of WNS

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/wnscaveadvisory.htmlhttp://www.fws.gov/northeast/wnscaveadvisory.html

States Affected by AdvisoryStates Affected by Advisory

http://www.caves.org/WNS/ICS%20WNS%20Policy.htmlhttp://www.caves.org/WNS/ICS%20WNS%20Policy.html

USFS Emergency Closure Order

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/docs/apr_2009_caves_closed/white_nose_info.pdfhttp://www.fs.fed.us/r9/docs/apr_2009_caves_closed/white_nose_info.pdf

State Closures

CAVESCLOSED

All caves, sinkholes, tunnels and mines on this property are closed in an effort to slow the spread of White-Nose Syndrome (WNS). This ailment has killed hundreds of thousands of bats in the eastern United States and may soon threaten bats in Kentucky. For more information, please visit:

www.fws.gov/northeast_whitenose.html

Thank you for your cooperation.

Surveillance

Source: Andrew King, USFWS, Bloomington Field Office

• Population surveys (summer/winter)• Monitoring bat health and behavior• Sample collection• Public reporting

Jonathan Reichard

Outreach• www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html• Media response and public inquiry response• Video production• Briefings• Presentations

Radio-Canada-Television. documentary, VT

USFWS Resources• Internal Funding FY08-10 ~$2 million

• State Wildlife Grant ~$940,000

• Additional State Awards ~$100,000

• Staff time and base funds

USFWS Resources• Internal Funding FY08-10 ~$2 million

• State Wildlife Grant ~$940,000

• Additional State Awards ~$100,000

• Staff time and base funds

Non-Federal Funding• State match for SWG ~$432,000• Grants:

National Speleological Society Bat Conservational International Indiana State Univ. Center for N. Am. Bat

Research and Conservation

Captive propagation

Containment/Decon.Public health

MonitoringStakeholder

interestsRehabilitation

Media inquiries

Public reporting

FOIAFunding/grants

Outreach

Consultation Lab research

State/regionalconcerns

Field research

Coordination EffortCoordination Effort

WNS Investigation

Partnerships are the KeyFederal agencies: State/Provincial agencies:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Connecticut Department of Environmental ProtectionU.S. Geological Survey Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental ControlU.S. Forest Service Kentucky Department of Fish and WildlifeDepartment of Defense Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and WildlifeNational Park Service Massachusetts Department of Fish and GameAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service Michigan Department of Natural ResourcesThe National Zoo New Hampshire Fish and Game DepartmentSmithsonian Institute New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife

New York Department of Environmental ConservationUniversities: Ontario Ministry of Natural ResourcesBoston University Pennsylvania Game CommissionBucknell University Quebec Ministry of Natural ResourcesColumbia University Vermont Department of Fish and WildlifeCornell University Virginia Department of Game and Inland FisheriesEastern Michigan University West Virginia Division of Natural ResourcesIndiana State University Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesMissouri State UniversityUniversity of California, Davis Not for profit, NGOs & others:University of Guelph Bat Conservation InternationalUniversity of Winnipeg National Speleological Society

American Zoological AssociationEuropean biologists from: American Museum of Natural History Czech Republic Northeastern Cave ConservancyFrance Center for N. American Bat Research and Conservation Germany International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)Italy Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)Netherlands DisneyRomania Bat WorldUnited Kingdom

Current WNS Task Groups

1. Surveillance for WNS- Subgroup for Maternity Colony Monitoring

2. Chemical & Biological Control

3. Cave Closure & Human Transmission

4. Captive Propagation & Rehabilitation

5. Reporting & Data Management

6. Transmission Research

7. Susceptibility & Research Guidance

8. Communications & Outreach

9. Bat Genetics

10. Management Recommendations - Structured Decision Making Process

In Closing

• Significant mortality • Spreading

• Investigation takes time

• Complex coordination needs• Control presents biological and social challenges • Multiple novel threats to bats in the northeast• Two listed species vulnerable now

• Potential to impact 25 of 40 N. Am. bat species

Future

• Increasing coordination between agencies

• Dedicated funding

• Science-based management recommendations