BLUFFTON, S.C. (AP) - Scientists have confirmed a pair of bats found in some woods in Beaufort County is from a species usually found in the mountains.
The Island Packet of Hilton Head reported (https://bit.ly/2kaFex2) that a lab at Northern Arizona University has confirmed the bats found in Bluffton are northern long-eared bats.
The bats were captured by members of the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy late last year.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Morgan Wolf said the bats have historically been considered cave-dwellers. They have been vulnerable to a deadly disease called white-nose syndrome. The disease is caused by a fungus that grows in caves and has killed millions of bats across North America.
Officials don’t know how the bats ended up on the coast but may devote more study to the question.
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Information from: The Island Packet, https://www.islandpacket.com
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