SALEM, Ore. – White-nose syndrome has been detected in bats for the first time in Oregon, impacting Columbia and Benton counties. Six Yuma myotis and one little brown myotis tested positive for the disease in March 2026.
This disease, caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has already killed millions of bats in North America. It disrupts hibernation, leading to early winter emergence and starvation. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is working with various partners to monitor the situation…