A couple of weeks ago, I got the kind of call I love. And hate.

The call was from a wildlife biologist, with an invitation to go in an abandoned mine to survey for White Nose Syndrome in bats. Well, actually they wanted some of my anesthesia gas and perhaps my expertise in killing things humanely. I pushed for the invitation into the mine. See, I love bats.

White Nose Syndrome is killing millions of bats. It has just recently been found to be associated with a newly identified fungus, geomyces destructans. It is named White ose Syndrome (WNS) because the fungus appears and grows into white tufts on the muzzles of infected bats.

Bats probably get it mostly from other bats; however, it is likely that humans could transport spores from contaminated sites to new sites on clothing, footwear or gear.

This is why I haven’t been in mines or caves lately. Nobody who truly understands WNS wants to spread it anywhere that it is not. But I haven’t been in any mines or caves since the disease broke out in 2006 and I do know a tad about the disinfection process. Normally, from Fish and Wildlife or the US Forest Service’s point of view, I am the ideal volunteer.

I like bats, so I am willing to go out in the woods, in mines or caves, at night and not only am I free, but I have had my rabies vaccines. (The risk of rabies from bats is much lower than once thought but still real.)

Anyway, the fungus only grows at cooler temperatures, so the bats are susceptible while hibernating. Many bats die during hibernation, but biologists don’t really understand if the fungus causes the deaths or just interfere with hibernation which causes the bats to die. Either way it is bad.

Bats eat up to 4,500 insects a night. Every night. Every bat. So a million bats in a large colony must eat about the national debt worth of bugs in a season. Okay, so the math says they only eat about half a trillion bugs in a season.

If those bugs are not eaten by bats, more bad news chemicals will have to be used. More chemicals mean more ecosystem disruption.

Since 2006, over a million cave-hibernating bats have died with WNS. But we are hopeful as we hike in and unlock the gate. Our mine inspector goes first to check for human safety. This is a known hibernaculum for endangered Indiana Bats.

White Nose Syndrome has never been reported in Ohio or Kentucky, but we all feel like it is coming. It has been confirmed in 15 states and Canada. This February and March, Ohio state and federal biologists have surveyed mines and results have been clear.

We enter to see over 1300 bats hibernating. Little brown bats, Indiana bats and some tri-colored bats were present. At first it looks okay, but then the biologist spots an Indiana bat with fluffy white around his nose.

The biologist takes a tape impression of the fungus, but leaves the endangered bat. I spot two more non endangered bats which look like they have the disease. I do what I was brought to for and the bats are sent to the lab for histopathology.

We quietly leave the mine, but we all know what the lab will confirm a week later. WNS is in Ohio and millions more bats will die. It will affect all of us. And tonight, I shed a tear.

From the press release: People can help slow the spread of White-nose Syndrome and reduce disturbance to bats by staying out of caves and mines.

Ohioans who observe more than six dead bats or large numbers of bats flying outside in the winter (less than 40°F), especially near a cave or mine where bats are known to hibernate, should report those observations to the ODNR Division of Wildlife at wildinfo@dnr.state.oh.us, or 1-800-WILDLIFE (945-3543).

Utilize the same precautions when dealing with any wild animal, avoid touching wildlife and do not pick up sick or dead bats.

For more information about WNS and Ohio bats, please visit www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome and www.wildohio.com.

MJ Wixsom practices veterinarian medicine at Guardian Animal Medical Center in Flatwoods, Ky. For questions, call 606-928-6566.