A new proposal for the endangered species list was made on Tuesday when federal officials recommended designating the northern long-eared bat, which has been ravaged by a deadly fungus.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the bat's population has plummeted, with colonies of the creature being infected with white-nose syndrome. Because of this, the agency thinks it is likely to go extinct without action being taken.
The agency's director of the Midwest region, Charlie Wooley, shared that stopping the decline will "be difficult, but we're going to do everything humanly possible."
White-nose syndrome causes a bat to become active before hibernation is done and fly outside too soon, burning their winter fat stores leading them to starve.
The disease is named for the white fuzzy spots infected bats have on their wings, muzzles, and ears. However, it is unknown where the fungus started, but it has spread to a dozen U.S. bat species.
The northern long-eared bat has been found throughout 37 central and eastern states and much of Canada, living in holes or cracks within trees or beneath the bark during summer.
In 2015, the Fish and Wildlife Service listed the species as threatened, with it being hit hardest by white-nose syndrome compared to other bat species.
Things have only gotten worse since 2015, with almost 80% of the species having white-nose syndrome, all of which are expected to by 2025.
On May 23, officials will take public comment on the decision and decide in November whether or not to approve the "endangered" designation for the bat. The designation would make it illegal to kill bats if it is granted.
This would mean those looking to protect the bats would have to work with loggers, power companies, road builders, and other industries to protect where the bats nest in summer and give birth, ABC News reported.
"We have a strong foundation in place for working with stakeholders to conserve the bat while allowing economic activities within the range to continue to occur, and will continue to build on these," an agency statement said.
Related
