White-nose Syndrome - This bat syndrome was first noted 12 miles west of Albany, NY in 2006. Bats with this white-nose syndrome usually have a white fungus around their noses and occasionally on other body parts. It is unknown whether the fungus is what is killing the bats or if it is a symptom. Last winter 8,000 - 11,000 bats died. In 2008 biologists noted the syndrome in bats hibernating in sections of NY, southwest VT, western MA, and northwestern CT.  Al Hicks, the NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation biologist, suspects 400,000 bats in the NY area are affected and stated that the mortality rate in bats with white-nose syndrome is 90- 97%. For further details and the latest info read the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service News from the Northeast Region: White-Nose Syndrome Mystery: Something is Killing Our Bats. They also have a PDF pamphlet entitled White-nose syndrome in bats, Frequently asked Questions, April 2008. White-nose syndrome is confirmed in PA and NJ. See the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service link below for a current map of confirmed sites from VT to VA.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service  recommends suspending caving activities to protect bats from white-nose syndrome; 26 March 2009.

22 Jan 2009 PA Game Commission Press Release 007-09: White-nose syndrome surfaces in PA