The genetic secret helping bats survive a deadly epidemic

On a summer night in New York City, about 20 people gathered in a parking lot near the Ridgewood reservoir, thrilled at the mere possibility of seeing a bat. Their guide, Nick Comparado, a bat biologist and PhD student at Rutgers University, pointed out the species most common to the area: eastern red bats, big brown bats, and the occasional hoary bat. But behind this scene of enthusiasm lies a darker reality. A deadly illness called white-nose syndrome has been decimating bat populations across the United States—and scientists are only now beginning to understand why some bats manage to survive it.

The fungus that eats bats alive

White-nose syndrome is caused by a fungal pathogen that likely arrived from Eurasia, probably transported by humans. The fungus thrives in cool, humid environments—exactly the kind of caves where many bat species hibernate. Conservation wildlife biologist Georgia O'Teri of Bat Conservation International explained the brutal mechanism: when bats hibernate, their body temperature drops enough that the fungus can grow on them. "The fungus actually starts secreting things that break down their tissue," she said, "and starts kind of eating them alive while they're trying to conserve energy and hibernate."