B.C.’s bats are threatened by a fungal disease headed towards the province from Alberta and Washington State. The Kootenay Community Bat Program, in collaboration with the Province of BC, are asking the public for help in the effort to detect and prevent the spread of White-Nose Syndrome (WNS). Residents are urged to report any bat activity observed in winter and any sick or dead bats found before May 31st. White-Nose Syndrome is a fungal disease that is harmless to humans, but has devastated North American bat populations. The fungus attacks bats while they are hibernating, appearing on their wings and faces to give an appearance of a white nose. Bats often wake to clean the fungus from their skin. This uses valuable energy, and finally the bats die from hypothermia and starvation. If anyone finds a dead bat or have sightings of winter bat activity, please report to the B.C. Community Bat Program online at www.bcbats.ca, via email at info@bcbats.ca or by calling 1-855-922-2287 (1-855-GOT-BATS).