American bat epidemic jumps the Rockies
American bat epidemic jumps the Rockies

This little brown bat is the first confirmed case of white-nose syndrome west of the Rockies. (Photo: PAWS/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
A sick bat found near Seattle is the first known case of white-nose syndrome west of the Rocky Mountains, U.S. officials confirmed Thursday. Not only that, but it’s 1,300 miles beyond the epidemic’s previous western front — a huge leap for a disease that has already killed about 7 million bats since it came out of nowhere 10 years ago. Read more.