For the past few months, Ruffner Mountain has been, and will continue to be, a site for research conducted by Bat Conservation International (BCI) in conjunction with the United States Forest Service, Northern Arizona and the University of Winnipeg. This study is currently testing treatment options in mines that have tested positive for White-nose Syndrome (WNS) - a fungal disease that is devastating bat populations in North America.
This study, along with BCI. and their partners, have recently been announced as one of the recipients of the Bats for the Future Fund 2018 - a grant funded by The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Avangrid and Southern Company.
Ruffner wishes Bat Conservation International, Inc., their partners, and all of the recipients of the Bats for the Future Fund success in their endeavors.
We will keep everyone posted as the results of this study emerges. In the meantime, consider donating or becoming a member of Ruffner. You are not just helping a beautiful greenspace remain open -you are also supporting a location for groundbreaking research.
Nick Sharp of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources with the Bat Conservation International subterranean research team and Ruffner staff