Bat Hibernating Sites In Fayette, Westmoreland Counties Remain Closed - Video Blog

To protect Pennsylvania’s varied and valuable bat populations from the deadly white-nose syndrome, the state Bureau of Forestry will continue barring public access to three caves on state forestland in Fayette and Westmoreland counties where bats hibernate in large numbers.

 

The caves, harboring some of the largest and most vulnerable bat populations in the state, will remain off-limits to all visitors until further notice. Specially constructed gates will remain locked at Coon and Lemon Hole caves, southeast of Blairsville, Westmoreland County, and Barton Cave, near Uniontown, Fayette County.

 

 

“We have been closing the caves each fall and winter as a routine preventative measure, but the advance of white-nose syndrome into Pennsylvania dictates stronger measures to safeguard bat populations in our sourthwestern state forestlands,” said DCNR Acting Secretary John H. Quigley. “We know very little about the fungus and disease, but we must do everything possible to battle its spread. This move will facilitate an active, cooperative study of our state’s bat populations.”

 

So-named because of a white fungus on muzzles and wing membranes of affected bats, white-nose syndrome has killed hundreds of thousands of bats from Vermont to West Virginia and continues unchecked. In Pennsylvania, it has been identified in Mifflin, Centre, Lackawanna and Luzerne counties.

 

Acting on the request of the Game Commission, DCNR did not reopen Barton Cave last spring after it and the other two caves were closed October 2007 through May 2008. The Game Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and organized caving groups support the continued closings.

 

“We are well aware that organized cave exploration groups respect the resource and stress responsible caving, that includes staying out of caves when bats are in winter hibernation,” said Acting Secretary Quigley. “These temporary closures will enable Game Commission and DCNR biologists to study healthy populations, unhampered by the press of spring and summer cave visitors.”

 

“We applaud DCNR for taking this responsible and proactive step to give Pennsylvania’s bat population a hedge of protection,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “The Game Commission already has taken steps to close and gate known important bat hibernacula on state game lands and our biologists have been working with other state agencies and those in adjacent states and at the federal level, to monitor WNS and search for a solution.”

 

Bureau of Forestry Biologist Aura Stauffer stressed white-nose syndrome so far has not been detected at any of the three state forest caves or at a nearby state park noted for large bat concentrations. No signs of WNS were found at Lemon Hole and Coon caves in January and bats appeared healthy at Barton cave in March.

 

The Game Commission recently visited Canoe Creek State Park’s Hartman Mine in Blair County and the bats appeared to be healthy.

 

“In light of the high bat mortality at several white-nose syndrome sites in Pennsylvania, however, and until further information on its cause and spread comes to light, DCNR, PGC and Mid-Atlantic Karst Conservancy officials decided to keep Barton, Lemon Hole, and Coon caves closed for all of 2009,” said Stauffer. “The closure is not meant to be permanent and the decision will be re-evaluated as additional information becomes available.”

 

Stauffer went on to explain that the closures will make it easier to collect baseline data on healthy hibernating bats in Barton cave. The research is being conducted by Bucknell University and Game Commission biologists in an effort financed by a state wildlife grant and matching funds from DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry Research Committee.

 

“Members of the Mid-Atlantic Karst Conservancy wholeheartedly support this research into finding the cause, and potentially a solution, to this devastating syndrome which is impacting our bats,” said MAKC spokeswoman Kim Metzgar. “Our members are ready and willing to assist researchers working on these projects in any way we can. Due to the seriousness of the situation and how quickly the situation can change, persons interested in visiting our preserves should check the website for the most up-to-date information on access.”

 

Metzgar noted that there are nine commercial show caves operating in Pennsylvania that remain open to tourists. Links to these caves can be found online.

 

The three caves are within the Forbes State Forest District and serve as the winter home for bat species that include the big brown, little brown and Eastern pipistrelle. Hibernating numbers are estimated at more than 1,000 at Lemon Hole and Coon caves, and several hundred over-winter at the Barton site.

 

Known and valued for their enormous appetite for mosquitoes and other flying insect pests, bats have benefited from past visitation controls at other major hibernating sites in state parks, state game lands, and privately owned mines, buildings and other property. Each state forest site will be posted with closing notices.

 

Conforming to guidelines of the American Cave Conservation Association/Bat Conservation International Standards, state forest cave gates exclude people but allow unobstructed airflow and bat movement. However, because of remote locations, they are vulnerable to vandalism.

 

As a result, in addition to its ranger patrols and cooperation of the Game Commission, DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry again is enlisting the voluntary aid of organized caving groups to observe and report any potential damage or illegal intrusions at the gated caves.

 

For information on Pennsylvania’s bats, as well as white-nose syndrome, visit the Game Commission website.