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The Shindle Iron Mine is located in rural central Pennsylvania. The site was brought to the attention of PA Game Commission biologists in 2003. The mine is short in length. A 6' high, 4' wide adit was driven about 350' before intersecting the target rock layer at a right angle. From this intersection, the mine branches a short distance, 100' both left and right. In this chamber, traditionally 2,000-2,500 bats could be found hibernating. A small stream flows through the mine and pools knee deep in the entire length of the entrance passage. The landowner requested the mine be gated and managed for bats in 2005. The population has been monitored bi-annually ever since, and the population has been stable.

In late December 2008, DeeAnn Reeder, a biologist with Bucknell University, and Greg Turner, a biologist with the PA Game Commission’s Wildlife Diversity Section, surveyed the bats in the Shindle Iron Mine. They were conducting field investigations into bat hibernation patterns that included weekly monitoring for White-nose Syndrome (WNS) presence in several Pennsylvania hibernacula. The bats in the iron mine exhibited some of the signs of WNS. Dozens of bats exhibited fungus around their muzzles and wing membranes, while many more displayed other symptoms associated with this disorder (e.g., roosting at the mine entrance, refusing to arouse, etc.). Several bats were submitted to the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, which now is reporting that the bats have preliminarily tested positive for the cold-loving fungi found on many bats with WNS in other northeast states such as NY, VT, CT, MA, and NJ.

The photos below were taken during a January 29, 2009 visit to the mine. During this visit, the first mortalities were noted. About 10 bats were found dead in the water. The majority of bats have now moved within the first 150' of the entrance passage, a section of mine that traditionally did not have many hibernating bats present. Approximately 70% of the bats observed during the 29 January 2009 survey exhibited some visible fungus, a dramatic increase from just 15% a week or 10 days prior.  

The prognosis for the bats in the Shindle Iron Mine is not good. Past mortality data from other WNS sites suggest that 60%-95% of the bats will not survive this winter. How WNS is spread is not yet fully understood, however it seems clear bats can transmit it themselves. As of this writing there has not been any indication the fungus is harmful to humans, but it may be possible that humans could  inadvertently spread it to new sites across the country. Since Shindle is an access-controlled site with no visitation for the previous two years, some believe WNS at this site may have come from elsewhere. It could have been passed between bats at maternity colonies or during swarming behavior in the fall.    

  • Entrance to Shindle Iron Mine during happier times; Chris Sanders preparing for a winter bat survey in February 2006.
  • Anne Ballmann and Greg Turner examining a Northern myotis near the end of Shindle Iron Mine.
  • Perimyotis subflavus (view #2) with early fungus growth on forearms and feet.
  • Perimyotis subflavus (view #1) with early fungus growth on forearms and feet.
  • Little brown bats (Myoris lucifugus) in midway in Shindle Iron Mine. Just one bat has obvious fungus forming on its muzzle in this photo.
  • Same cluster as image in previous photos. In this view we can see a small amount of fungus starting to form on the muzzle of the top center bat.
  • Myotis lucifugus with missing tissue (presumed dead) low on mine passage wall
  • Northern myotis (view #1) with more advanced fungus growth, this was one of the worst looking bats observed on this survey date.
  • Northern myotis (view #2)
  • Northern myotis (view #3)
  • 11 out of 14 little brown bats in this frame show obvious sign of white fungus around the muzzle.
  • This is another view of the same bat cluster in the previous photo.
  • It is not unusual for water to condense on bats during hibernation, but the white fungus on the muzzle, forearms, and tail has not been documented before in Pennsylvania.
  • Anne Ballmann, Roymon Jacob, DeeAnn Reeder, and Greg Turner processing bats for the ongoing temperature monitoring project.
  • Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) outfitted with temperature data loggers. Researchers hope to recover at least 50% of these bats in late March before they would exit the mine. Data loggers will record arousal patterns of the sampled bats.
  • Roymon Jacob, Anne Ballmann, and DeeAnn Reeder maintaining a telemetry recording station just inside the Shindle Iron Mine entrance.
  • White fungus is inexplicably forming on the muzzles of these little brown bats. "Sparkles" on the bat's fur is water condensation. White material on the rocks itelf is a soil bacteria found in many caves and mines but is not the same fungus that is growing on the bats.
  • More than half of the bats in the cluster show early symptoms of White Nose Syndrome. White material on the rocks itelf is a soil bacteria found in many caves and mines but is not the same fungus that is growing on the bats.
  • At least three little brown bats in this photo show signs of the fungus.
  • Little brown bats with water condensation on their fur and at least one with white fungus forming on the muzzle.
  • This is a view looking up underneath a cluster of little brown bats in the Shindle Iron Mine.
  • DeeAnn Reeder selecting bats for the temperature monitoring project in Shindle Iron Mine.
  • Little brown bat with White Nose Syndrome fungus.
  • Anne Ballmann and DeeAnn Reeder selecting bats for the ongoing temperature monitoring experiments. A little brown flyby is captured in the foreground.
  • More little brown bats, these with somewhat more advanced fungus growth than others in the Shindle Iron Mine.
  • These three little brown bats each show signs of White Nose in addition to the more common water condensation.
  • Full face shot of a White Nose Syndrome encrusted little brown bat.
  • These little brown bats were unusually "hibernating" on the floor of the mine, just above the water level, within 50' of the entrance. This odd behavior is typical of White Nose sites in NY, VT, and elsewhere. These bats did not arouse despite the major disturbance of our visit.
  • Little brown bats, at least one with White Nose. Brown specks are dirt from the mine walls.

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