White-nose Syndrome may be the most severe threat ever faced by North American bats, and scientists have not yet identified its cause. Bat Conservation International has launched a special fund to quickly provide start-up money for research projects that are directly relevant to finding the cause or causes of White-nose Syndrome. Reported among hibernating bats in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and possibly Pennsylvania, WNS has killed up to 90 percent of affected populations at some sites. Whole species may be at risk ...more

Volunteers joined Kentucky state agencies this month to build bat-friendly gates designed to keep vandals from repeating their deadly attacks on the endangered Indiana myotis that hibernate in Kentucky’s Laurel Cave, The Independent reports. The Ashland, Kentucky, newspaper said the new gates, which will keep people out of the hibernation area while allowing the bats to come and go at will, was a direct response to the killing of at least 100 Indiana myotis during two incidents last October ...more

Austin (Texas) celebrates its beloved colony of bridge bats this summer with its third annual Bat Run to benefit Bat Conservation International. This year’s will send some 1,200 people running along Austin’s Lady Bird Lake. The 5K Bat Run, along with a 1K Kids Run, begins at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 13. It winds up at the Congress Avenue Bridge downtown, where runners can enjoy entertainment and watch the evening emergence of about 1.5 million bats. Registration, which includes a very special T-shirt, is $25 for adults and $10 for children. The Bat Run is produced by...more