Scientists, cavers gather in NY to brainstorm on bats

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Scientists meet in Albany this week to determine how to study a mysterious, mass die-off of bats in the Northeast.

Thousands of bats have died in about 20 bat hibernation caves in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The meeting was an effort to coordinate studies, share theories and plan future research projects.

Susi Von Oettingen of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the push is to recognize this as a major regional and potentially national issue.

The reasons for the deaths are unknown. The phenomenon is called “white-nose syndrome” because a mold-like fungus is found on the snouts of many dead bats.

The massive scale of the die-off was recognized in early January.

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