Slowing WNS at a Geographic Constriction Katie Gillies, Fran Hutchins Bat Conservation International Jonah Evans Texas Parks and Wildlife Melissa Meierhofer Texas A&M University Modified for Central Oklahoma Grotto presentation by Duane Comments in Red Text NOT TO BE SHARED OUTSIDE THE GROTTO!!! Slowing WNS at a Geographic Constriction Katie Gillies, Fran Hutchins Bat Conservation International Jonah Evans Texas Parks and Wildlife Melissa Meierhofer Texas A&M University This presentation has been texted to provide a bit of explanation on what is going on with bats in the state of Oklahoma to share with the grotto. Since I am not able to attend meetings easily anymore as I have moved, I still am getting information on the bat situations and standings as liaison for the grotto with the Oklahoma Bat Committee. This was presented to us in January this year. I feel I need to share this with you as soon as possible as we may have a significate event occurring in our part of Oklahoma in the coming years. As you probably have heard, WNS is official in Oklahoma ( https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/news/fungus-responsible-bat-disease-found- Oklahoma ) in Delaware County. https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/news/fungus-responsible-bat-disease-found- Oklahoma Current Distribution of WNS As of the date on the map, this was the confirmed locations of WNS in the U.S.A. Note: that last year (2015) Oklahoma was added to the list in NE Okla. Texas WNS Surveillance Locate and monitor key hibernacula in TX panhandle Texas Speleological Society Establish relationships with local landowners Establish baseline hibernation estimates for bats BCI has already established contacts with local landowners via TSS in the TX panhandle for baselines of hibernation activity in TX. This plan was to be completed by 2015. Texas WNS Surveillance Located and surveyed 20+ caves Identified 10 hibernacula for consistent monitoring and surveillance Identified 5 high population sites MYVE, PESU, COTO, EPFU Largest site has up to ~4600 MYVE So Far what has been done and what is being watched. I kinda grin to myself when we see they have a large population at under 5,000 what would they think of Jester or Selman? Predicted Spread of WNS Hallem et. al 2009 Here is the scary part due to the lack of caves that can hold the WNS fungus, it is predicted that the caves of Western Oklahoma & Texas Panhandle may provide the means for the virus to jump across to the western states. Note that the northern states are thought NOT to help the spread Predicted Spread of WNS Ihlo and Baker 2013 Although myotis is not a carrier yet, they could be. But one of our own, Tricolor (formally Pips) is very susceptible to WNS and could be the carrier. But some of the could be contact caves are our very own in Western Oklahoma. With current data, it is expected to spread this way soon. Predicted Spread of WNS Larger scale for viewing. If current predictions hold true we may be infected between a year to 3 years.. Can we slow the spread of Pd/WNS into the Western States? Numerous treatments are in various stages of development Working closely with the USFWS WNS Response Team Interested in identifying and targeting a select number of sites Deploy treatment(s) in the hope of slowing the spread to allow the development of long term treatments (i.e., vaccines, gene silencing) So what is BCI doing in Texas right now? Thinking that the corridor may exist, Part I was to get the Texas Panhandle together.. The next step is seeing if Oklahoma will cooperate with a baseline and calculated projections, we (as in COG) may be able to help with some of this. Known caves in the Texas panhandle These are the caves in the Texas panhandle that have been documented. With our help they can expand the watch area beyond this part and closer to the border of WNS now. If we can put stop- gap measures in place, we can possibly stop the infection into the western part of the US, Removing the stepping stone Max MYVE movement 55 miles (Tinkle and Patterson 1965) By setting the buffer zones shown and using the treatments shown on previous slides, there is a potential dead zone for WNS to exist and us basically creating a giant fence keeping WNS out of the western US. 2016 Surveys and Goals Expand our cave database along TX-OK border (Texas A&M) Introduce idea of treatments to panhandle landowners (BCI) Work with USFWS and researchers to identify potential treatment tools, locations and strategies (TPWD and BCI) Develop a strong working relationship with WNS biologists, researchers, and partners in Oklahoma (BCI, TPWD, and TAMU) Where is surveillance being conducted? Where is disease spreading in OK? Are there gaps in our regional surveillance? How can we share data across state borders? Is OK interested in partnering on this project? So here is how we come into play as a grotto the Texas side is done one major goal is bringing Oklahoma on board this year. Thats where we come in. We have data on easily two decades of bat counts as well as personal experience in Jester and other western OK caves. Can we work with BCI as a group (much like we do with bat counts and the bat swabbing research) and help with this research / goal ?? 2016 Surveys and Goals Expand our cave database along TX-OK border (Texas A&M) Introduce idea of treatments to panhandle landowners (BCI) Work with USFWS and researchers to identify potential treatment tools, locations and strategies (TPWD and BCI) Develop a strong working relationship with WNS biologists, researchers, and partners in Oklahoma (BCI, TPWD, and TAMU) Where is surveillance being conducted? Where is disease spreading in OK? Are there gaps in our regional surveillance? How can we share data across state borders? Is OK interested in partnering on this project? I would like to open discussion on this topic at our meeting this Friday. We have been approached by representatives of BCI to obtain our help / assistance on this. If the grotto is OK with this, then Katie or Fran from BCI would be most happy to come to the next meeting and talk with the group more than I can share with you via this text Final Notes Weve been doing bat counts and research on our caves for decades we help out and are usually not even recognized for the help / assistance in what we do. But our research / work has helped in the past we are currently assisting in bat swabbing in our caves to help set the baseline in the western Oklahoma caves. We have data that could be helpful. So in conclusion: Here's the next new threat... though "our" bats haven't yet been part of the problem, they very well could be. Versicolor (pips) can get the disease... and we're scared to death if the myotis becomes infected as it will then go all the way to the west coast. We're a corridor in which WNS can spread to the west... it is our caves in western Oklahoma (and Texas panhandle) that may 'provide' the access for WNS to spread west. New data has been provided that indicates that there are only a few corridors across the great plains (cave corridors) that can connect the infected "eastern US" from the "western US" and the corridor is right though western Oklahoma. I know we bust butt and never get the thanks we deserve. But I think down deep we know we're doing good and we'll keep on doing it thats why were a club sure its fun but this club has always been science orientated mapping, data collection, tagging, its a personal feel good thing. Give me a holler on your comments. Duane