MDC reminds hunters to be wary of sinkholes

Advance scouting can help hunters identify sinkholes and other topopgraphical hazards

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Because of the Ozarks’ karst topography, this area is riddled with caves and sinkholes. Some sinkholes are hidden by heavy vegetation and, as evidenced by numerous incidents reported in the news in recent years; they can appear suddenly on a landscape.

As a safety precaution, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters to be mindful of sinkholes as they travel through areas, particular during low-light times of day or in spots where vision is obstructed. Last year, a hunter in Pulaski County died when he fell into a 70-foot sinkhole while tracking a deer.

Further evidence of hazards sinkholes pose occurred recently when, acting upon calls received from the public, MDC conservation agents found a deer in a sinkhole in Greene County. It was unclear whether the ground had given way or the deer stumbled into an existing hole. After exploring possible rescue options, it was determined regrettably there was no safe way to remove the deer from the sinkhole so the animal had to be put down. Due to safety concerns, the carcass was unable to be retrieved.

MDC would like to remind hunters that these incidents point out the importance of scouting an area in advance of a hunt. In addition to finding animal signs, a pre-hunt scouting trip can give individuals knowledge about the type of topography they’ll encounter during a hunt at that area. If you’re hunting on someone else’s land, conversations with the landowner in advance of a hunting trip can also provide information about areas that need to be avoided.

Other information about hunting safety can be found at http://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/hunter-education-and-safety/hunter-ethics-and-safety

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Enjoy Batfest at Onondaga Cave State Park April 5

The Atoll_Onondaga Cave, MO (Photo credit: javacrat)

The fascinating and often misunderstood world of bats will be celebrated on Saturday, April 5 at Onondaga Cave State Park near Leasburg. Sponsored by Missouri State Parks, the free festival will be held from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Activities for all ages will be featured throughout the festival. Kids will be able to enjoy bat-related crafts and activities and explore an inflatable cave. Visitors can enjoy discounted tours of Onondaga Cave and exhibits on cave gear, cave restoration, and bat preservation.

From 11 a.m.-2 p.m., representatives from Incredible Bats will present live bat shows featuring African straw colored fruit bats. Between scheduled demonstrations, the fruit bats will be on display in the visitor center for all to observe.

The Missouri SuperGraphic by U-Haul will also be on display. The graphic, a part of U-Haul’s “Venture Across America” campaign, features Onondaga Cave State Park and the red bat, which makes its home in the woods of the park.

In addition to Onondaga Cave and the visitor center, Onondaga Cave State Park features a campground, trails, picnic sites, and access to the Meramec River for fishing and canoeing. The park is located on Highway H off Interstate 44 at the Leasburg (#214) in Crawford County. 

For more information about the event, contact the park at 573-245-6576. For more information on Missouri state parks and historic sites, go to mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

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• Watch bats fly out of Devil's Icebox at Rock Bridge State Park on July 12 and 13 (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)

Bat disease recently found in Franklin, Washington counties

Caves where White Nose Syndrome found closed to public to prevent disturbing remaining bats. 

Courtesy MDC

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Wildlife Health Center has confirmed that a deadly disease in bats called “White Nose Syndrome” (WNS) has been recently found in a little brown bat and a tri-colored bat from a public cave in Washington County. The USGS has also confirmed that WNS has been recently found in a little brown bat and a northern long-eared bat from two public caves in Franklin County. All three caves are closed to the public, and cave names are not being disclosed to prevent disturbance of remaining bats.  

The name of the disease describes a white fungus typically found on faces and wings of infected bats. The WNS fungus thrives in cool, damp conditions found in many caves, which are also hibernation and roosting sites for many bat species. WNS spreads mainly through bat-to-bat contact and has not been found to infect humans or other animals. The fungus that causes WNS may be inadvertently carried between caves by humans on clothing, footwear and caving gear.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), signs of the disease or the fungus have now been confirmed in 19 bats from caves in Crawford, Franklin, Lincoln, Perry, Pike, Shannon, and Washington counties since WNS was first found in Missouri in 2010.

“Bats with WNS exhibit unusual behavior, such as flying outside in daylight and clustering near entrances of caves and mines during the day in cold winter months when they should be hibernating,” said MDC Bat Biologist Tony Elliott. “This activity uses up fat reserves needed to get the bats through the winter, making them more susceptible to freezing or starvation.”

Elliott cautioned that people should not handle any bats, and should contact their local MDC office or conservation agent if they find dead bats, or see bats flying outside during the day in cold winter months when they typically would be roosting or hibernating.

Missouri is home to more than 6,300 known caves with about 74 percent of them privately owned. Many contain bats. Bats provide tremendous value as natural pest control for farms and forests, and also play an essential role in helping to control insects that can spread disease to people. According to the USGS, the number of North-American bats estimated to have died from WNS thus far had the capacity to consume up to 8,000 tons of insects per year.

More information on WNS is available online at whitenosesyndrome.org andfws.gov/northeast/pdf/white-nosefaqs.pdf.