Texas State Researchers Discuss White-Nose Syndrome In Bats With Big Ideas TXST

SAN MARCOS – Sarah Fritts, assistant professor in the Department of Biology, Ivan Castro-Arellano, associate professor in the Department of Biology, and Sara Weaver, senior ecologist with Bowman Consulting, discuss the threat white-nose syndrome poses for native bats in Texas in episode 9 of the Big Ideas TXST podcast.

The researchers talk about the damaging environmental and ecological consequences that could unfold if the disease continues to spread unchecked.

White-nose syndrome is a fungal disease responsible for die-offs in several bat species across North America. Losses greater than 90% have been documented in some hibernation roosts.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that more than 6 million bats have died from white-nose syndrome since it was first detected during the winter of 2006-2007.

Since then, significant declines in the abundance of many bat species across the nation have been documented through summer bat surveys and hibernation counts.

The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), was detected in hibernating bats in Texas in early 2017.

Big Ideas TXST is a monthly podcast from Texas State’s Division of University Advancement that goes inside the fascinating minds forging innovation, research, and creativity at the university.

Hosted by Daniel Seed, a lecturer in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, each episode features thoughtful interviews and discussion with the thought leaders developing innovative ideas to make the world a better place.

Big Ideas TXST can be found at news.txstate.edu/inside-txst/big-ideas-podcast. The podcast may also be listened to or subscribed to at:

• Anchor https://anchor.fm/big-ideas-txst
• Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/big-ideas-txst/id1497910115
• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/56N4LuHaBt6wj1yGScOnKn?si=ZcLlj2C8T1S61tRXJe_01A