Report: Climate change, disease imperil North American bats

By JOHN FLESHER
AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Scientists say many North American bats are in trouble. A report by experts from the U.S., Canada and Mexico released Monday says more than half of the continent’s 154 bat species are at risk of “severe population decline” in the next 15 years. Many have been devastated by white-nose syndrome, an invasive fungal disease. Other threats include loss of habitat from forest logging and urban sprawl, plus collisions with wind turbines. And climate change is compounding the harm, with more extreme storms and drought. Bats save farmers billions of dollars annually by gobbling crop-destroying insects. Agencies, private groups and universities are researching ways to help them.