White-nose syndrome poses risks for our bat species

MSc student Kyle Nelson is studying the migratory movements of bats in the Pacific Northwest. Bat populations in North America have been devastated by white-nose syndrome, an introduced fungal pathogen. To date, the disease hasn’t been observed in British Columbia, but its recent arrival in Washington State poses a significant threat to the province’s bat populations. The seasonal movements of migratory bats likely play a key role in the spread of the disease. Kyle is using acoustic observation methods, as well as the stable isotope signatures of museum specimen and bats captured in the field, to determine the migratory pathways of the province’s bats. This research will provide novel data on bat movements, help to direct white-nose syndrome monitoring, and further refine methods for tracking bat migration.