Parks Canada Fights Deadly Bat Disease With Bacteria in Alberta Caves
Parks Canada teams are working inside Alberta’s bat caves to combat a deadly and accelerating fungal infection that threatens to devastate the province’s hibernating bat populations. The agency is spreading a mixture of bacteria in an effort to protect the flying mammals from the disease, known as white-nose syndrome.
White-Nose Syndrome Poses Severe Threat to Bat Colonies
White-nose syndrome is caused by a fungus that thrives in the cold, damp environments found in bat caves. The infection manifests as a fluffy, white growth on the snouts and wings of affected bats. While the fungus poses no direct threat to humans, its impact on bat populations is catastrophic — it can kill up to 98 percent of an infected colony.
How the Fungus Devastates Hibernating Bats
The fungus disrupts the natural hibernation cycle of bats, causing them to wake up repeatedly during winter months. This premature arousal forces the animals to burn through their vital fat reserves — reserves that cannot be replenished during the winter when insect prey is unavailable. As a result, infected bats face a high risk of starvation before spring arrives.
Biologist Witnesses Devastating Impact Firsthand
Nina Veselka, a biologist with Parks Canada, has observed the grim consequences of the disease in a cave within Jasper National Park. She described finding exhausted bats that had fallen from the limestone walls, struggling to survive on the cave floor. The severity of the outbreak in that location raised the alarming possibility of local extinction among the colony.
Alberta’s Entire Hibernating Bat Population at Risk
White-nose syndrome now threatens the entire hibernating bat population across Alberta. Parks Canada’s intervention — introducing beneficial bacteria into cave environments — represents a proactive strategy aimed at curbing the spread of the fungus and giving affected bat populations a chance to survive. The outcome of these efforts could prove critical for the long-term health of bat species throughout the province.
