Manitoba Sustainable Development announced on Friday, May 18, 2018, that some bats in the Lake St. George area are suffering from White-nose syndrome.

White-nose syndrome is fatal to bats and was first discovered in North America in New York State in 2006. the disease is transmitted through fungal spores and causes bats to wake from hibernation during winter. The bats then die of starvation and hypothermia due to the cold and lack of a food supply.

The concern with the spread of the disease is that bats are extremely important to the biodiversity of the province. They eat insects and help control pests that are destructive to forestry and agriculture.

Sustainable Development is asking people to avoid entering caves where bats might be present to prevent the spread of the fungal spores that cause the disease. People are also reminded to never touch a living or dead bat because bats are know to carry rabies that can be transmitted to humans.

White-nose syndrome is not a disease that is transmitted to humans.

You can report summer colonies of bats in buildings, bat houses or other locations or any unusual bat deaths to Manitoba Sustainable Development offices or by visiting the bat watch website

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