USFS closes most caves/mines on MTNF and Eastern Region forests
Jo Schaper
The United States Forest Service Regions 8 and 9 (all National Forests east of the Mississippi River, plus Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas) issued an order on April 24 limiting 
human visitation on those units to try to slow the spread of White Nose Syndrome (WNS) a bat-borne infection which is killing off cave bats in the U.S. northeast and mid-Atlantic states. This order affects about 600 of Missouri’s 6300 known caves. (Photo of infected bat courtesy USF&W NE Region.)
WNS is not known to be harmful to humans, nor has it been found in bats any closer than West Virginia.
WNS is an infection characterized by white, Geomyces species fungus around the muzzle and on the wings of the small, insect-eating bats like those found in Missouri. WNS first showed up in New York caves in 2006. Since then it has spread to 9 states and killed an estimated 500,000 bats, including critically endangered Indiana bats, according to Bill Elliott, Missouri Dept. of Conservation cave biologist.
Bat researchers don’t know if the fungus is the direct cause of the bat deaths, or if it is a secondary infection. Bats with WNS do not stay in hibernation long enough, but rouse early, seeking food before insect populations have recovered in the spring, and then starve.
The Forest Service cave closures will be in effect for one year to give bat researchers time to assess the situation as WNS spreads towards Missouri. Although primary transfer of the condition seems to be bat-to-bat, there is a small amount of circumstantial evidence that transfer on people’s clothes or gear might be a factor, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service advisory issued March 27.
The closure order, posted online on April 29, says violators face fines up to $5,000 per individual or $10,000 per organization, and/or six months jail time. The order leaves loopholes for caves which are posted open, (no caves are so posted in Missouri right now) for people with Forest Service permits, and for government workers involved in firefighting or search and rescue.
At a stakeholder meeting in Rolla on April 23, Forest Supervisor David Whittekiend discussed the USFS action with other Missouri agency natural resource managers, non-governmental cave organizations, and organized cavers. Region 9, where the Mark Twain is located, includes Eastern states where WNS is already known.
Recreational cave access on the Ozark Riverways, Department of Conservation lands, and Missouri state parks may also be undergoing modification, but no changes have been made as of April 29.
Organized cavers are well aware of WNS developments, but they account for less than 5% of cave visitors nationwide, according to the National Speleological Society.
Since WNS is not known to be currently in Missouri, people who have not visited a wild or show cave in one of the affected states (NY, VT, NH, CT, PA, NJ, MA, VA or WV) are likely not carriers of the WNS fungal spores. People who have been in these places are advised not to enter any Missouri cave until they have washed their clothes and gear in soap and water hotter than 100 degrees, or to use gear which has never left the state.
Decontaminating gear with a 10% bleach solution is recommended by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Lysol or other antifungal treatments may also be helpful. Repeated bleachings can affect nylon strength, according to a least one caving rope manufacturer.
More information can be found at www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html or by going to the “Everything Bats” forum at http://.forums.caves.org. The closure order can be found at http://fs.fed.us/r9/.
