The fall of the Bats

You may recall the unexplained die-off of honeybee colonies last year.-------Now, something quite similar is happening to bats found dead of unknown causes, apparantly while hibernating, in four large caves in and just outside of New York. What appears a full 90% have been found dead since last winter.------Whatever is killing the bats leaves them unusually thin and in most cases, dotted with a white fungus like substance. Ecologist Paul Cryan says that it's startling that they haven't come up with a smoking gun at this point and Mike Tuttle, president of a bat consevatory calls it the most serious threat to the bat population in recorded history.-----People are not believed susceptible to the mysterious affliction but officials in New York and New Jersey have advised everyone to stay out of caves that might contain bat colonies.---(source)---THE NEW YORK TIMES.