Bat being swabbed for bacteria and fungi at El Malpais Ntl. Monument

Research Wildlife Biologist, Ernie Valdez, is holding that is being swabbed for bacteria.  Early findings of this research have shown that natural occurring bacteria on bats produce secondary metabolites that that may serve as natural defenses against the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans; the cause of white-nose syndrome that kills hibernating bats.