Bat die-off investigation and survey: Middle Butte Cave, Idaho National Laboratory, Bingham County, Idaho

Publication Type:

Report

Authors:

Wackenhut, Martha

Source:

p.[8] (2012)

Call Number:

U12WAC01IDUS

Keywords:

Corynorhinus townsendii, Myotis ciliolabrum, Townsend's Big-Eared Bat, western small-footed bat

Abstract:

A bat die-off investigation with bat count was conducted on 3/21/2012 in a cave at Idaho National Laboratory, Bingham County, Idaho, after bat carcasses were found there the previous month. The investigation included counting live bats using the cave, surveilling live bats for signs of white-nose syndrome (WNS), swabbing live bats and associated substrate for WNS testing, and observing bat carcasses. Bat observations were recorded using the 10-m increment red and blue flags [posted in a previous survey] for location reference. Some of the flagging appeared to have been washed away from their original locations, and a few flags were not located. Photos were taken of one live bat and some bat carcasses. WNS protocol and decontamination procedures were followed. Table 1 shows bat counts, carcass counts, and numbers of bats swabbed.