Recreationists asked to help protect bats from white-nose syndrome

Wyoming Game and Fish is asking cavers, climbers and explorers to clean their shoes and gear both before and after visiting caves after white-nose syndrome (WNS) was identified for the first time in Carbon and Platte counties.

WNS, a disease that has been devastating for bats across the nation over the last few years, is already known to be present at Devils Tower.

Cleaning gear helps to prevent unintentional spread.

WNS erodes the skin of hibernating bats and causes them to wake up more often, taking up valuable energy. It kills bats through exposure or starvation when they leave the hibernac...