White nose syndrome kills millions of bats each year. Now it's in Lincoln National Forest.

A fungal disease threatening the survival of bats throughout the U.S. was found in a southeast New Mexico cave for the first time in the region, and officials are stepping up efforts to prevent its further spread.

White nose syndrome (WNS) led to the deaths of millions of bats throughout the U.S. and could threaten the extinction of the species viewed as essential to their ecosystems and the agriculture industry.

Here’s what to know about the disease and its spread in New Mexico.

Where was it most recently found?

Swabs from bats collected April 29 at Lincoln National Forest, in the Guadalupe Ranger District in the southeast region of New Mexico, tested positive for Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) which is known to cause white nose syndrome.

In was found in the forest’s Cottonwood Cave in Eddy County, the first time in the county or on U.S. Forest Service lands, after employees noticed several bats showing symptoms. They sent samples to the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center which produced the positive test results.

The Forest Service said none of the samples tested taken at nearby Carlsbad Caverns National Park tested positive. Last year, white nose syndrome was found on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Lincoln and DeBaca counties.

More: Deadly bat fungus found in New Mexico caves. Here's what we know about white nose syndrome

What is White Nose Syndrome?

The fungus grows on the faces and wings of hibernating bats, irritating their skin and causing them to awaken and subsequently use up fat reserves and die of starvation during the winter.

It’s named for the visible signs that appear during the later stages of the disease, appearing as a white substances collecting on the bats’ muzzles, wings and bodies.

How much damage has the disease already done?

The disease has spread through North America since 2006, and it was estimated to kill millions of bats in eastern states, causing especially high mortality rates in hibernation colonies.

It can kill all of the bats in a colony from one infection spreading during hibernation, read a report from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Today, officials estimated the disease is present in 40 U.S. states and eight Canadian provinces.

A study from Conservation Biology found white nose syndrome killed 90% of exposed bat populations in three species in less than 10 years.

More: Deadly fungus reaches New Mexico bats. Carlsbad Caverns conducts white nose syndrome research

Can it infect people?

There is currently no evidence that white nose syndrome can spread from bats to humans. The fungal spores can be transferred via people to other uninfected caves or areas, causing it to spread to bats in those locations.

What is being done to control the spread?

Precautions to stem the spread began at Lincoln National Forest in 2010. Those entering caves were asked to apply for a special permit, and equipment is decontaminated before and after entry.

At Carlsbad Caverns, a “bio-cleaning” mat was installed at entrances to the cave. Visitors walk over the mat which decontaminates and removes potential spores on their shoes.

Officials also asked people to never touch bats, and report dead bats to the local agency.

Any caving gear used in a cave known to have white nose syndrome present should not be used in a cave that is free of the fungus.

Canopies, umbrellas or any outdoor items should be checked to ensure no bats are roosting and could be transferred from cave to cave.

Research ongoing to protect bats from white nose syndrome

Wildlife Biologist Rhonda Stewart at Lincoln National Forest said further test results of the fungus found in the cave will direct the agency’s response.

“The information provided in the test results will be critical in guiding our management actions,” she said in a statement. “We have been monitoring and implementing prevention measures for over a decade and are looking at ways to expand our efforts for detection of Pd, as well as decontamination procedures for WNS."

Jeremy Coleman, coordinator of white nose syndrome research said the agencies was also studying how the fungus infects bats, hoping to find new ways to slow the spread of the disease as it moves into the American West.

“As white-nose syndrome pushes further into the West, we are working to understand the ways in which the disease is spreading and the impacts to western bat species,” Coleman said. “There are several tools being tested now to combat WNS and improve survival in susceptible bats.”

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: White nose syndrome infects bats in Eddy County caves