| Contacts: | Donna Hummel, 505.954.2019 |
White-Nose Syndrome Threat Closes 28 BLM Caves in New Mexico
Santa Fe – The Bureau of Land Management published notice in the Federal Register today closing 28 caves to public visitation for the next two years in an effort to reduce the threat of White-nose Syndrome to bats. The temporary closures affect caves that are known to have significant bat roosts.
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease that has killed over one million hibernating bats in the East and Southeast in the past four years. The fungus associated with the disease, Geomyces destructans, was found on a bat in western Oklahoma last May thus elevating the concern that the fungus might next arrive in New Mexico. The fungus is known to be transmitted from bat to bat and from cave to bat. Scientific data also indicates that fungal spores may be spread inadvertently by humans, their clothing, or caving gear from one cave, mine or bat roost to another.
Today’s closure notice is a continuation of the interagency efforts to protect New Mexico’s bats that included the development of the White-nose Syndrome Interagency Response Plan for New Mexico in November 2010. Various user groups and interested publics provided input into the state plan and helped develop criteria used to identify significant caves and strategies for preventing human transmission of the fungus.
The following BLM caves are now closed due to WNS:
Roswell Field Office: Bat Hole, Big-eared, Corn Sinkhole, Crockett's, Crystal, Feather, Fly, Fort Stanton, Malpais Madness, Smiley, Sun Spot, Torgac's, Torgac's Annex, Tres Ninos and Martin-Antelope Gyp Cave Complex
Carlsbad Field Office: Billy the Kid, Dry, Endless, McKittrick, Rusty Hinge, Sand, Adobe and Yellowjacket
Las Cruces Field Office: Geronimo, U-Bar and Lepto Splat
Socorro Field Office: Ladrone
Rio Puerco Field Office: Pronoun Cave Complex
Although other caves and mines on BLM public lands remain open, subject to prior restrictions and/or permit requirements, the public is discouraged from entering any caves and underground abandoned mine features on public lands to limit the potential spread of the fungus. Mandatory decontamination of clothing and gear is required of anyone entering non-commercial caves or mines on federal lands. The most current WNS decontamination protocols and gear dedication procedures are available at http://www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome/index.html.
New Mexico is home to 28 species of bats, including sixteen that hibernate in state. Bats play a critical role in many cave ecosystems and are important nocturnal insectivores that help control insect populations throughout the summer season.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.blm.gov/nm/wns
http://www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome/about.html
http://biology.usgs.gov/wter/wns.html
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.