On November 20, 2016, the students of Barren County High School Band are planning on holding a concert inside Mammoth Cave. This is being marketed as the first time in history that an entire concert band, with 75 members, will perform in the underground cave. Bat biologists are very concerned that this event will have devastating consequences for bats that are hibernating and at risk of people spreading disease. This event is irresponsible and should be stopped.

Mammoth Cave is home to at least 5 species of bats, including the endangered Indiana bat, Gray bat and Eastern Small-footed bat. These species have been hit hard by the devastating disease White-Nose Syndrome (WNS), which is a fungal disease that attacks bats while they are hibernating, affecting their ability to reserve their energy for spring, leading to starvation or dehydration. WNS is spreading through the eastern United States, killing entire bat populations, and has been associated with the deaths of more than 5.5 million bats since it was first identified in 2006. The Kentucky National Park Service says "While these species still exist in Mammoth Cave, their numbers are now no more than a few thousand at best. Ecological restoration of Mammoth Cave, and facilitating the return of bats, is an ongoing effort."

 How can the National Park Service allow a concert inside a cave where bats are hibernating? With the spread of WNS, many species of bats are on the edge of extinction. Any disruption to bats during hibernation should be avoided, and planning a concert in a cave that is refuge to endangered bats is deplorable. Please help us tell the National Park Service that this concert should be held somewhere else.