White-nose Syndrome Surveillance

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is aware of the serious threat posed by white-nose syndrome, an infectious disease found only in bats, to our state’s bat populations.

White-nose Syndrome
White-nose syndrome is a disease caused by the non-native fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. White-nose syndrome is named for the accumulation of white fungal material around the nose, ears, and wings of infected individuals. Bats affected with white-nose syndrome can generally be recognized by abnormal winter behavior (e.g. flying outside when temperatures are below freezing) and a visible accumulation of white fungus on the nasal area. Hibernating bats will arouse more frequently than energy reserves allow, ultimately causing bats to emerge from roosts to forage for food and often starve. Bats affected by white-nose syndrome will also cluster at the entrances of hibernacula. Although infected bats usually exhibit visible physical signs of the disease, many bats that lack visible fungal growth have tested positive for P. destructans. In addition, bats that carry the spores on their bodies may not become infected but can distribute the spores to other bat roosts. Confirmation of the presence of P. destructans or white-nose syndrome requires histological (tissue samples) or genetic verification.
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Winter surveillance and monitoring efforts on select caves for white-nose syndrome in Oklahoma began in 2010. Monitoring activities include swabbing bats to collect DNA evidence of the fungus, looking for the physical presence of the fungus, installing data loggers to collect humidity and temperature readings within hibernation sites, collecting tissue and blood samples from hibernating bats, and collecting soil samples. At times, bat specimens are collected for sample submission to certified laboratories when surveying bat hibernacula or for evaluating unusual bat morbidity or mortality during the winter.

The fungus associated with the disease was first detected in Oklahoma in 2015 in a privately owned cave in Delaware County. The disease was confirmed in that same cave in 2017.

To provide guidance on preventing the spread of the fungus and the disease and provide further information about the disease, the Wildlife Department has developed the following documents:

Best Management Practices to Address White-nose Syndrome in Oklahoma

Avoid Winter Disturbance at Bat Hibernaculum
Researchers interested in studying Oklahoma's wildlife must apply for a Scientific Collector's Permit from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Biologists with the Wildlife Diversity Program review these applications and issue permits as well as provide recommendations or restrictions for lessening the impact to certain wildlife populations. Those permit applications that propose entering bat hibernacula during the winter must show evidence that the cave owner or manager has been contacted and that the applicant has received permission to access the cave. If the research or survey spans multiple years, the Wildlife Department may restrict the number of times the hibernaculum can be entered. If the Scientific Collector's Permit is issued, researchers will be required to use equipment and supplies that have not been in any white-nose syndrome confirmed or P. destructans positive counties in the nation. Researchers will be required to follow the decontamination protocol set forth by the National White-Nose Syndrome Committee.

Caves that are located on Wildlife Department owned or managed lands are closed to the public and signs will be posted about the threat of white-nose syndrome. Requests to access these caves for research during the winter will be carefully considered by the respective Wildlife Management Area and Wildlife Diversity Program biologists and may be denied based on measuring the value of the possible information gained against the impacts to the hibernating bats. If approved for access, researchers will be required to use equipment and supplies that have not been in any white-nose syndrome confirmed or P. destructans positive counties in the nation. Researchers will be required to follow the decontamination protocol set forth by the National White-Nose Syndrome Committee.
Increase Year-round Protection for all Roosts (maternity, hibernacula)
Biologists with the Wildlife Department's Wildlife Diversity Program review Scientific Collector's Permit applications and issue permits as well as provide recommendations or restrictions for lessening the impact to certain wildlife populations. Those permit applications that propose entering bat roosts (hibernacula, maternity) must show evidence that the cave owner or manager has been contacted and that the applicant has received permission to access the cave. If the research or survey spans multiple years, the the Wildlife Department may restrict the number of times the roost can be entered. If the permit is issued, researchers will be required to use equipment and supplies that have not been in any confirmed or positive counties in the nation. Researchers will be required to follow the decontamination protocol set forth by the National White-Nose Syndrome Committee. No Scientific Collector's Permits, where required, will be issued by the Wildlife Department for experimental treatments of bats, caves, or mines without careful review by multiple biologists to ensure potential detrimental outcomes are avoided. No actions that are detrimental to the ecology of a cave or to the state's wildlife will be approved in or around caves that are located on Wildlife Department-managed lands.
The Wildlife Department will continue to research other possible methods to protect caves located on Wildlife Department-managed lands, including installing bat friendly gates at cave entrances.
The Wildlife Department recommends other cave managers or owners (state agencies, universities, conservation organizations) minimize access to bat roosts (maternity, hibernacula). If access is approved, the Wildlife Department recommends researchers be required to use equipment and supplies that have not been in any white-nose syndrome confirmed or P. destructans positive counties in the nation and that researchers be required to follow the decontamination protocol set forth by the National White-Nose Syndrome Committee.
Promote minimally invasive research to better understand bat needs and status trends
The Wildlife Department has initiated an acoustic bat survey on some of the agency's managed areas. Acoustic monitoring is non-invasive and allows for monitoring multiple bat species simultaneously at large spatial scale. Additionally, the Wildlife Department will continue to consider proposals submitted for minimally invasive research to better understand bat needs and status trends in Oklahoma as well as management or restoration efforts for species of greatest conservation need through the State Wildlife Grant Program.
Educate the public to understand the values of conserving bats
Through the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Oklahoma Bat Coordinating Team was established to facilitate information flow to partners, scientific cooperators, interested parties, stakeholders and user groups on bat and cave management, bat research and bat diseases, particularly white-nose syndrome, in Oklahoma. The Wildlife Department will continue to involve members of the Oklahoma Bat Coordinating Team to facilitate the information flow about Oklahoma's bat and disease surveillance efforts. This team will serve as one avenue for the Wildlife Department's public communication outreach ideas. Oklahoma Bat Coordinating Team contacts include:

More information about bats can be found in the "Bats of Oklahoma Field Guide."