CARTER BAT DISEASE Bat Disease Discovered At Two Eastern Kentucky State Parks
Reported by: Associated Press
Web Producer: Jeff Morris
Reported: Feb. 15, 2013 10:44 AM EST
Updated: Feb. 15, 2013 11:33 AM EST
Eyewitness News Photo
Olive Hill
, Carter County
, Kentucky
White-nose syndrome, a deadly disease to bats, has been found in caves at Carter Caves State Resort Park and Kingdom Come State Park in eastern Kentucky.
State parks officials said Friday that bats with the disease were found recently at Carter Caves in caves that aren't open to the public.
The Carter Caves system, near Olive Hill, is home to about 40,000 Indiana bats, which are federally endangered.
The officials said a bat with the disease was found early this year at Line Fork Cave at Kingdom Come State Park during a cave survey. The Letcher County cave is gated and not open to tourists. It's also home to Indiana bats.
White-nose syndrome was first identified in 2006 in New York and has killed millions of bats in the Eastern United States.
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
W.Va. girl who refused vaccines marches with class May 24, 2013 4:46 PM EDT A Randolph County girl who was banned from attending school after refusing to get state-mandated vaccinations will take part in her graduation ceremony.
Ohio kidnap case hero not endorsing free burgers May 24, 2013 8:38 PM EDT A man who put aside his Big Mac to help rescue three women held captive in a Cleveland house says he's not endorsing a group of restaurants offering him free burgers for life.