Vulnerability of Australian bats to White Nose Syndrome

White Nose Syndrome (WNS) caused by the bat-specific fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) has been responsible for the death of over 6 million microbats since its introduction to North America in 2006. Dubbed the “worst mammalian wildlife disease recorded to date”, the fungus is responsible for the complete local extinction of once common microbat species in the northern hemisphere.
As a very hardy organism, the change of Pd making its way into Australia before 2030 is almost a certainty. The fungus thrives in cold, humid conditions, and therefore primarily affects cave-dwelling microbats.

The Australian continent is home to over 80 unique microbat species whose particular appetite for insects makes them part of not only healthy ecosystems, but also several national industries – the “ecosystem services” of Australian microbats for the cotton industry alone are valued at approximately 63 million AUD annually.

To prevent outcomes similar to those seen in North America, we need more data on factors related to the individual animal, its environment, and the pathogen itself.

Ongoing work at The University of Melbourne is looking into the immune system of Australian microbats, focusing on species most at risk of encountering the fungus in the future.