As cave bats around the state battle White Nose Syndrome, the Dane County Humane Society has partnered with the Bat Conservation of Wisconsin, Inc. to help care for the ailing bats.

According to the Organization for Bat Conservation, White Nose Syndrome is a disease caused by a cold-loving fungus, which often grows in caves. Named for the white fungus that appears on the nose and wings of an infected bat, the disease has killed 5.7 million bats in eastern North America.

The Bat Conservation of Wisconsin, Inc. takes in an average of 100 bats in the winter because during this time, it is too cold for bats to survive outside and they lack food, founder and President of Bat Conservation of Wisconsin, Inc. Ken Bowman said.

To help alleviate some of the pressure of caring for these bats, Dane County Humane Society took steps to attain a permit to work with the cave bats as well.

Bats are important to the environment as well as to people —with benefits ranging from pollination and insect control to possible medicinal uses of vampire bat saliva, according to the Bat Conservation of Wisconsin’s website.

Cave bats are threatened by this disease, and since it is difficult to calculate the number of bats remaining in the area, it is important bats receive the attention they need, Bowman said.

Bowman said he sees this as a valuable partnership for his organization and as an opportunity for the Dane County Humane Society.

“The Humane Society works with wildlife but they had never gotten into bats,” Bowman said. “This is a good chance for them to expand their rehabilitation efforts.”

According to Bowman, the Bat Conservation of Wisconsin has three main roles within the community.

“We provide educational programs, we rescue bats from buildings and homes, and in the winter we house them if they cannot be released outside,” Bowman said.

Bowman and his wife are licensed to help rehabilitate bats as well, so they can nurse injured or sick bats back to health, he said.

Bowman said he hopes others will help with the initiatives to save bats.

“If people find bats in the winter time, don’t let them outside, because they’ll die,”Bowman said. “Just give us a call. We’ll come over and remove the bats from your business or home.”