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WNS Concerns & Service Guidance for Myotis Conservation Bats & Fire WorkshopMammoth Cave National Park, Mammoth Cave, KentuckyApril 30, 2014
OVERVIEW• WNS Observations• Gray Bats• Indiana Bats• Northern Long-eared Bats• Little Brown Bats• Tricolored Bats
• Improved Understanding of Where Bats Persist on the Landscape• Survey guidance• Other methods being researched
• Proposed Listings & Status Assessments
WNS- Observations from the Southeast
• Earliest infected sites in NC and TN have had declines similar to other NE states (~95% winter)• Smaller declines now
being observed in KY• NC also reporting
summer capture declines
Gray Bats• De-listing of gray bats put on hold once WNS arrived in U.S.• WNS confirmed from a few gray bats in TN• Observed large scale movements of some hibernating
populations in TN & AR• WNS related?
• Populations remain stable to increasing although WNS confirmed as early as 2011
Indiana Bat Population Trends8/26/2013
2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 20130
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
166,107 186,588
196,197 194,475 191,446 195,554 197,707
238,739 246,673
285,729
320,342
281,977
308,324 300,675
16,384 19,658 23,672 22,295 30,569
32,468
17,584
30,344 33,645 42,710
53,763 33,855
16,124
18,273
Ozark-Central (AR, IL, MO & OK)Midwest (AL, IN, KY, MI, OH, TN & SW. VA)Appalachian (E. TN, PA, NC, VA & WV)Northeast (NY, NJ & VT)
Year
Popu
latio
n Si
ze
Andy King, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bloomington, Indiana. Revised 8-26-2013Andy King, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bloomington, Indiana. Revised
Indiana Bat Population Estimates by Recovery Unit from 2001 - 2013
Indiana Bats• WNS confirmed on individuals in TN & KY
• Visible fungus always observed after MYLU, PESU, & MYSE(2nd year)• Large scale movements of some hibernating populations in IN• Approximately 20% decline in some minor KY hibernacula
during winter of 2014• Few sites surveyed are mostly stable in TN during this non-
Indiana bat year
Northern Long-eared Bats
• Difficult to assess impact due to hibernation strategy• Declines reported from wintering populations in NC & TN• Pre- and Post- WNS wintering populations trends in KY are
variable • Some population “spikes” in numbers of bats documented within
a year of WNS infection• Documented mortality as far west as AR (January 2014)
• Summer capture rates remain stable currently• Typically 3rd most common species throughout much of the
Southeast including KY
Little Brown Bats
• Little brown bat populations declining• States with sites of
multi-year infection are seeing significant declines (NC, TN & KY)• Approximately 60% in
many KY hibernaculum (2014)• Some sites are
remaining stable
Tricolored Bats
• Perhaps the most visibly impacted species thus far in the Southeast
• Difficult to assess overall impact on hibernating populations• Population “spikes” at hibernaculum post infection as individuals
move towards entrances• Biologists in NC, TN, KY, GA, and AL observed hanging dead
tricolored bats at multiple hibernaculum in over the last two winters
• We know significant mortality is occurring but overall numbers in hibernaculum are not much different than pre-WNS estimates
Improving Detection of Species
• Vitally important to know where populations persist so that adequate protection is provided when needed
– P/A Survey Guidance– Acoustic Lures– Wildlife Detection Dogs
10
2014 Indiana BatSummer Survey Guidance
2014 Guidelines:A Phased Approach
1. Initial Project Screening - existing records search and habitat assessment
2. Presence-Absence Surveys - conduct mist netting OR acoustic surveys
3. Follow-up Mist-netting Surveys (optional) to capture any bats initially detected in Phase 2 surveys.
4. Radio-tracking & Emergence Surveys
42 net nights9 net nights
2014 LOE
4 detector nights
White Paper – RecommendationsVarying netting LOE based on WNS status in RU
Definition of “WNS-impacted” RU for survey protocols:• If winter counts document that ≥50% of Priority 1 and 2
hibernacula within a RU decline by ≥30% from their most recent pre-WNS population estimates
OR • the total RU population declines by ≥30% from their most
recent pre-WNS population estimates, then that RU should be considered WNS-impacted
White Paper – Recommendations2014 (based on pre-WNS and 2013 pop. #s)WNS-impacted RUs:Northeast (70% decline) and Appalachian (45.8% decline)
NOT WNS-impacted RUs:Midwest (2.5% decline) and Ozark-Central (no decline)
Northern Long-Eared Bat• 2014
– Use Indiana bat summer protocols based on initial data
• 2015 and beyond– Gather additional data (acoustic/netting)– Request and analyze survey reports – Estimate detection/occupancy rates
• Develop level of effort and determine if NLEB Survey Guidance Team is needed based on results (i.e., are there significant differences in results from Indiana bat?)
Improving Detection of Indiana Bats
• Acoustic Lure Study– Playback of bat vocalizations to attract bats to
mist-nets and increase capture success– IBCF funded study within known maternity colony
in KY– Positive results after two summers with increased
capture of not only Indiana bats but all species of bats compared to previous capture rates within same colony home range
Improving Detection of Indiana Bats
• Wildlife Detection Dogs– One dog trained to
detect Indiana bat guano– KYFO working with
handler to evaluate dogs abilities and determine applicability in context of consultation and recovery workload• Roost trees and
hibernacula
NLEB Proposed Listing• as endangered due to WNS• FR Notice published October 2, 2013• Public comment period closed January 2014• Service currently considering comments submitted• Almost all SE states have populations of NLEB• KY & TN have highest numbers
• Service Team currently working on Conference/ Consultation and Conservation Guidance• Interim Conference Guidance (finalized Jan 2014)• Consultation & Conservation Guidance (Oct 2014)
• Section 10 Permits• Recommendations for past, present, and future projects
Species Status Assessment Updates
Little Brown Bat Tricolored Bat
Timeline
1. USGS/USFWS little brown bat demographic model
2. Expert Elicitation – Range wide– Several working groups (for example: genetics,
dist/abund, ecology)– Completed April 2013
Current Activities
• Continuing to work on status assessment• Includes examining all listable entities under
the ESA (species level, subspecies, or any possible distinct population segment (s))
Tricolored Bat• Service Initiated Assessment• Timeline– Initial stages of review– In the process of summarizing data collected
during 2011 multi-species request– Anticipate a second request for new information
going out in May• After winter surveys and spring emergence work
– Validating recent publications on range expansion
Interested in:
• Interpreting the population “spikes” that are consistently being documented during first years of WNS arrival at hibernaculum– Hopeful the analysis of new data will help
Northeast Region Lead Contacts
Jonathan ReichardNational WNS Assistant [email protected] (office)413-335-2886 (cell)
Christina KocerNortheast Region WNS [email protected] (office)413-335-4482 (cell)
