Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- October 13, 2009
This fall, homeowners can help experts track a deadly disease of bats (:50)
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Suggested Intro:
AS THE SEASONS CHANGE, HOMEOWNERS ACROSS THE STATE CAN HELP TRACK THE SPREAD OF A MYSTERIOUS DISEASE THAT IS ATTACKING PENNSYLVANIA'S BAT POPULATION. SO SAYS A RESEARCHER IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, AND GARY ABDULLAH HAS MORE:
Story:
(:20) PENNSYLVANIA WILDLIFE RESEARCHERS ARE TRACKING THE ADVANCE OF WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME, A MYSTERIOUS, FATAL DISEASE OF BATS THAT SHOWS ITSELF AS A WHITE FUNGUS ON THEIR MUZZLES AND WINGS. SINCE BATS ARE NOW LEAVING BARNS, HOMES AND OTHER BUILDINGS FOR WINTER HIBERNATION SITES, PENN STATE WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST GARY SAN JULIAN SAYS LOCAL RESIDENTS CAN HELP NATURALISTS GATHER INFORMATION ON THE DISEASE:
San Julian Actuality:
(:19) "WHAT HOMEOWNERS CAN DO IS, IF THEY HAPPEN TO SEE DEAD BATS AROUND HOME, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO CALL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION. BECAUSE THE WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME REALLY REDUCED THE POPULATIONS OF SOME OF OUR MORE COMMON BATS. BATS ARE SUCH GREAT INSECT EATERS AND THEY REALLY CONTROL THE NUMBER OF INSECTS THAT WE HAVE."(:11) SAN JULIAN SAYS THE DISEASE DOESN'T APPEAR TO AFFECT HUMANS, BUT COULD POSSIBLY SPREAD TO BAT COLONIES THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST. TO HELP, REPORT ANY SIGHTINGS OF MULTIPLE DEAD BATS TO THE PENNSYLVANIA GAME COMMISSION. FROM PENN STATE, I'M GARY ABDULLAH.
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