Bats are in trouble

I've heard some rumblings about this for a little while. But here it is.

The Missouri Department of Conservation announced:

Avoid caves and bats this winter, but report signs of disease

Three New England states have reported thousands of sick and dead bats with a white fungus on their muzzles. Scientists don't know what causes "white nose syndrome" and they don't know whether the disease affects humans or other animals. So far, WNS has not appeared in the Midwest, but MDC bat biologists are staying alert for signs. These include bats flying near hibernacula during cold winter days, bats roosting just inside hibernacula, or dead bats lying outside the entrances. If you see these signs, do not enter caves or handle bats! Take photographs, note the date and location, and contact Bill Elliott or Tony Elliott.

Also, Urban Ecology Blog posted about this, too. Bats perish and no knows why.