Collecting a bat skin biopsy for white-nose syndrome surveillance

This video demonstrates the proper procedure for collecting a skin biopsy from a bat when conducting white-nose syndrome surveillance. White-nose syndrome (WNS) (https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nwhc/science/white-nose-syndrome) is a highly fatal disease affecting multiple species of North American bats that is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. A skin biopsy may be collected from live bats with visible fungal growth or characteristic UV fluorescence when whole carcasses cannot be submitted to a diagnostic laboratory for evaluation. This procedure is intended to be performed by an authorized wildlife professional only. It may be unlawful to take wildlife without the proper permits and one should consult their state natural resources agency for further guidance. Bats may carry rabies and should never be directly handled without appropriate safety precautions. More information on white-nose syndrome surveillance is available from the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nwhc/science/white-nose-syndrome-surveillance).