The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, a deadly disease to hibernating bats, has been found for the first time in Texas.
The fungus has been detected in samples taken from three bat species in six West Texas counties -- Childress, Collingsworth, Cottle, Hardeman, King and Scurry. The research team from Texas A&M University and Bat Conservation International report the samples showed fungus present on tri-colored, cave myotis and Townsend's big-eared bats.
No cases of the disease were found in those counties.
The fungus has been found in 30 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces so far. Texas is home to 32 bat species, which control insect populations and help with crop pollination. White-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats since its 2006 discovery in a cave near Albany, New York.
