Bats: At one time, Mammoth Cave was among the largest bat winter shelters
in the world. Today, bats are in peril due to human activity, environmental
change, and diseases like white-nose syndrome.
Since first confirmed at Mammoth Cave in 2013, white-nose syndrome
has been documented in 7 of 8 cave-dwelling bat species. In the past
4 years, over 95% of Mammoth Cave’s bats died as a result.
As with many ecological processes, there are winners and losers.
Evening and gray bats have increased, since they are less affected
by the disease. What happens next depends on our actions. Will we
help bats fight the disease, and respect the critical role they play in
our ecosystem? Or will we leave them to die?