Bats on the Brink
By Jessica Rae Patton
May 26, 2009
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4694
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A mysterious disease is devastating bat populations in the eastern U.S., threatening to render certain species extinct and seriously upset the food chain. In a letter to Congress last week, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), Defenders of Wildlife and other conservation, wildlife, sustainable farming and anti-pesticide organizations outlined the importance of varied bat species to the ecosystem and the possibly devastating ramifications of their extinction. According to the CBD, “Biologists predict that the widespread loss of insect-eating bats will lead to burgeoning bug populations, including those that attack crops. Increased use of pesticides on farms may result from the bat die-off.” The letter requested increased funding for research on white-nose syndrome, an illness for which there is no known cause or cure.
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