White-nose Syndrome, a disease that has killed more than a million bats since 2006, is causing what biologists consider North America’s most precipitous wildlife decline of the past century. The disease or the fungus that precedes it has spread to 19 states and is already threatening local extinctions of some species.
Bats are crucial for the balance of nature. They consume huge quantities of insects, including pests that damage crops such as corn, cotton, and soybeans. Scientists calculate that bats save U.S. farmers more than $3.7 billion a year by reducing crop losses and the need for pesticides.
At least 25 U.S. bat species are at risk of WNS and could become endangered, causing financial losses to such industries as mining, forestry, and tourism. Fighting WNS is a wise investment.