“Saving an Endangered Species: The Remarkable Tale of Disinfecting a Decrepit US Mineshaft to Rescue Little Brown Bats”

Disinfecting Wildlife Habitats: A Last Resort?

In recent years, scientists have been turning to disinfectants as a means of combating disease causing pathogens that pose a threat to wildlife. The Pseudogymnoascus destructans fungus, for example, has killed millions of bats across North America and has prompted Joseph Hoyt, an assistant professor in disease ecology at Virginia Tech University, and his team to resort to chlorine dioxide gas to disinfect mineshafts that were previously infected with the fungus. While some scientists support this approach, there are concerns about the potential consequences, and it remains a last resort for wildlife conservation.

Why Disinfecting may be Vital

Bats play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems as they perform various ecological services such as controlling insect population, pollination, and seed dispersal. However, once infected with the Pseudogymnoascus destructans fungus, they develop white-nose syndrome that depletes their fat reserves while hibernating, thereby reducing their survival rates. This process is pushing certain bat species close to extinction. Other pathogens like snake fungal disease and avian influenza that persist in the environment also call for an intervention in habitats affected.

Efforts to Disinfect Endangered Wildlife Habitats

Hoyt and his team primarily disinfect mineshafts used by bats once a year during the summertime when the bats are not hibernating. Although they have successfully increased the survival rate of infected bats by using a strong concentration of chlorine dioxide gas to disinfect the sites, there are some concerns about the limitations of this approach.

Dr. Jaime Bosch, senior scientist at the IMIB-CSIC institute in Spain, helps treat artificial ponds with fungicide to eradicate the Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis fungus and restore amphibian populations in the area. Bosch’s strategy involves removing the animals from the ponds, treating them with an antifungal, and then treating the ponds with a fungicide. However, her new approach involves placing the fungicide directly into the ponds rather than removing the animals. Although it might seem more efficient, it is concerning that such an approach may not fully eradicate the fungus and may negatively impact the microbiota in the pond.

The Potential Drawbacks

Scientists acknowledge that disinfecting habitats has its limitations, and preventive measures are much more effective and preferable. For instance, vaccines, although minimally effective, could still provide a means to protect certain animal populations and artificially reintroduce them into the wild. Plus, disinfecting such areas could have unwanted consequences. It could select more harmful strains of pathogens or contribute to other forms of unintentional collateral damage. Therefore, scientists argue that disinfection should be approached with caution.

The Future of Wildlife Conservation

Disinfecting habitats may well remain a practical solution in certain situations, such as when an endangered species may not survive without disinfecting action. Still, more modeling strategies and public awareness programs regarding the prevention of disease are necessary. Collaborative efforts involving wildlife conservation bodies, regulators, and policymakers can be more effective at limiting the spread of pathogens that present a threat to wildlife and ecosystems. In the face of the destruction caused by pandemics like Covid-19, it is essential to consider all viable options, while weighing their potential consequences to wildlife and the environment.