PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Save Bats from White-nose Syndrome
  1. Signatures
    396 out of 500
    Petitioning
    1. The U.S. House of Representatives
  2. Created By
    Pamela Black
    Lapeer, MI
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

A new study from scientists at Boston University predicts the little brown myotis to go extinct across eastern North America within the next 20 years.

The little brown myotis is one of the most common bat species in North America. If this species with high population counts can go extinct that quickly, how many other rare or endangered species will also go extinct along the way? Federally endangered species including the Indiana and gray bat are already dying from WNS.

Bats inflicted with this fungal disease wake up more frequently, causing them to use up their fat stores. The bats then die from starvation or freeze. Caves infected with WNS can result in 100 percent mortality rates.

Bats are critical to food production and help stop the spread of disease through insect control. The loss of bats can have a large-scale impact on food security, public health and ecosystems.

The challenge of WNS is in understanding the origin and transmission of the disease. Once this is accomplished, a framework for combating the disease can be put into place. For 2010 Congress allocated $1.9 million to WNS research. An additional $5 million is needed to effectively fight WNS in 2011.

Recent Signatures

Support Representative Shea-Porter and Fight White-nose Syndrome

Greetings,

I recently learned on Change.org that White-nose Syndrome has the potential to cause the extinction of multiple bat species. Since the disease surfaced in 2006 over 1 million bats of at least nine species have died as a result of WNS. Scientific predictions point to the virtual extinction of the little brown myotis species within twenty years. If this common species can go extinct, how many more endangered and threatened bat species will die out along the way?

Bats are critical to food production and help stop the spread of disease through insect control. The loss of bats can have a large-scale impact on food security, public health and ecosystems.

Congress allocated $1.9 million in 2010 to help research WNS. A good start and one that shows Congress is concerned about bat survival and the consequences of species’ extinction. Along with 60 conservation groups, Representative Carol Shea-Porter believes an additional $5 million is needed for 2011 to satisfactorily finance research, monitoring and treatment efforts.

I urge you to join Representative Shea-Porter in seeking $5 million in federal funding toward combating WNS. Management of this deadly disease should happen now before it spreads to more states across the country. It is significantly better to adequately address WNS now than wait until more species become endangered or go extinct.

[Your name]

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