Published On: 10.31.18 | 

By: Dennis Washington

Alabama caves will become less spooky for endangered bats

BatsFeature

Bats have friends at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve that could be the key to saving several species from a deadly fungus. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)

Birmingham’s Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve could become ground zero in an effort to save the nation’s bat populations threatened by white-nose syndrome.

Tuesday, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced more than $1.1 million in grants to combat the disease. Bat Conservation International at Ruffner is one of the grantees working to defeat the fungus behind the disease found in caves where bats hibernate.

A public-private partnership is supporting the fight against white-nose syndrome in bats at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve in Birmingham. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
A public-private partnership is supporting the fight against white-nose syndrome in bats at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve in Birmingham. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
Officials announced grants to combat white-nose syndrome in bats at the Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter )
A public-private partnership is supporting the fight against white-nose syndrome in bats at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve in Birmingham. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
Robert W. Tawes, regional chief with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, talks about the importance of the bat population. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
A public-private partnership is supporting the fight against white-nose syndrome in bats at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve in Birmingham. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
Officials announced grants to combat white-nose syndrome in bats at the Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
A public-private partnership is supporting the fight against white-nose syndrome in bats at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve in Birmingham. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
Officials announced grants to combat white-nose syndrome in bats at the Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
A public-private partnership is supporting the fight against white-nose syndrome in bats at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve in Birmingham. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
A public-private partnership is supporting the fight against white-nose syndrome in bats at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve in Birmingham. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
A public-private partnership is supporting the fight against white-nose syndrome in bats at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve in Birmingham. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
Jason Reynolds, director of Environmental Affairs at Southern Company, talks about why the company wanted to support the Bats to the Future Fund. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)

The project dubbed “Bats to the Future Fund” is a partnership of the NFWF, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Southern Company and Avangrid Foundation.

Bat Conservation International is working with ultraviolet light and polyethylene glycol, two nontoxic agents, to fight the disease-causing fungus.

Find out more about the efforts and why they are necessary in the video below.

Protecting bats at Birmingham’s Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

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