Before you visit: Protect our bats from White-Nose Syndrome

Have you visited a cave overseas recently?

If yes, we ask that you don’t bring any clothing, footwear or equipment used in caves overseas. If this isn’t possible, please contact staff at the Naracoorte Caves who can provide some simple cleaning tips before your visit.

Why is this important?

To protect the critically endangered Southern Bent-wing bat from White-Nose Syndrome, a disease caused by a fungus that could cause the extinction of this precious bat.

What is White-Nose Syndrome?

White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) is a disease that affects insectivorous, cave-dwelling species of bats overseas. WNS causes bats to wake up more frequently during hibernation, increasing energy demands when there isn’t a lot of food around and can lead to starvation and dehydration. In most cases, the disease can be seen in the form of a white or grey fungal growth on the bat’s face or wings but also in damaged wings and markings on the skin. WNS is caused by exposure to a fungus called Pseudogymnoascus destructans, or Pd fungus for short. The Pd fungus is currently found in caves in North America, Europe and Asia where it grows on the walls and in the sediment on the cave floor.

Why is White Nose Syndrome an issue?

While insectivorous bats in Europe and Asia have seemingly adapted to the disease, bats elsewhere have not. In 2006, WNS was first found in New York State, USA. It is thought to have been introduced to North America from Europe by humans on contaminated clothing, footwear and gear. Since then, WNS has slowly spread across the United States and into Canada, resulting in the deaths of millions of bats.

Is White Nose Syndrome in Australia?

No, WNS has not been found in Australia yet. To prevent this disease arriving in Australia and protect our precious bats, we need to be aware of it and take precautions to prevent its introduction.

How does this link to the Naracoorte Caves?

The Naracoorte Caves National Park contains one of only three maternity caves for the critically endangered Southern Bent-wing Bat, along with several other important roosting caves, including caves in which tours operate. If introduced here, the fungus is likely to thrive in caves Southern Bent-wing Bats use. The Southern Bent-wing is a cave dwelling, insectivorous bat that could potentially be affected by WNS in a similar way to North American bats.

Why do we want to stop it?

Southern Bent-wing Bats and other insectivorous bats are important for a healthy environment. They eat lots of insects, including pest species, which is beneficial for our crops, forests and to us. Studies from North America show that losing bats due to WNS has led to increased use of pesticides and human health impacts. Southern Bent-wing Bats are already critically endangered, if WNS arrives, the species could become extinct.

While the Southern Bent-wing Bat doesn’t go into months of extended hibernation like North American bats, it does go into torpor - like shorter periods of hibernation - to conserve energy over winter. Researchers think that some Australian bats, including the Southern Bent-wing bat, may be impacted in a similar way to bats in North America if WNS were introduced.

Is there anything we can do to help stop its spread?

Yes. There are some very simple steps we can all take to prevent the introduction of WNS to Australia.

If you haven’t been into any caves overseas, then you don’t have to do anything at all!

If you have visited a cave overseas recently, then you can still visit but we ask you not to bring any clothing, footwear or equipment that you used in caves overseas. If this isn’t possible, please contact staff at the Naracoorte Caves who can provide some simple cleaning tips before your visit. This includes cleaning all mud and debris from clothing or footwear and then fully submersing it in water maintained at a temperature of 55 degrees Celsius for five continuous minutes. If this isn’t possible, 50-75% isopropyl alcohol or 8.25% sodium hypochlorite can also be used to disinfect clothing or footwear.

Our goal is for you to enjoy our wonderful caves and protect the amazing Southern Bent-wing Bat. With your help, we can achieve both.

And remember, you should never touch or handle a bat. If you see an injured or sick bat at Naracoorte Caves, please don’t touch it, but let staff know as soon as possible.

If you’d like more detailed information about WNS, Wildlife Health Australia have a fantastic information sheet on their website, which can be found here: https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/ResourceCentre/FactSheets/Exotic/EXOTIC_White_nose_syndrome.pdf