First case of fatal disease affecting bat populations discovered in Saskatchewan
Global News
The province has confirmed its first case of white-nose syndrome — a disease which has decimated bat populations in North America.
A deadly disease that has ravaged bat populations for years across North America has made its way to Saskatchewan.
The province has confirmed its first case of white-nose syndrome — a fungal infection that attacks bats while in hibernation and has created extensive mortality in a number of bat species, including the endangered little brown bat.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Environment shared news of the confirmed case in a post on Facebook, stating that the disease was discovered in a little brown bat found in a campground on the east block of Grasslands National Park, located in the southwest region of Saskatchewan.
“This is the first confirmed case of white-nose syndrome in Saskatchewan, making it more important than ever to report any bats found dead or on the ground,” said the ministry in its social media post.
“It poses a threat to several bat species in the province, including the federally endangered little brown bat and northern long-eared bat.”
Trent Bollinger said he received the bat towards the end of June for further analysis.
Bollinger serves as a wildlife pathologist and regional director for the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, and as a professor in the department of veterinary pathology at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine.
He explained how white-nose syndrome was first introduced into North America in 2006 when it was reported in the state of New York. It has since resulted in the decimation of populations of certain species of bats in large caves in eastern North America.