Is the bat population declining?

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Have you ever been on the Congress Avenue bridge to watch the bats take flight for the night? Many people, both locals and visitors, enjoy seeing this happen.

The latest blog post on Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation is about the reduction in the bat population: Can we afford to lose bats?

A study conducted by the University of Chicago indicates that there's been a decrease in the bat population due to "white-nose syndrome."

White-nose syndrome is a disease that is fatal to hibernating bats, caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans. First observed in 2006, the fungus has spread across North America leading to significant bat population declines. The fungus causes severe wing damage and dehydration. It also causes premature arousal which can result in starvation and freezing.

Concern around declining bat population exists because bats are beneficial to our ecosystem. Bats benefit the agriculture industry by reducing the need for pesticides. They also pollinate numerous plant species, including many fruits and crops, and disperse seeds that aid forest regeneration and genetic diversity.

Severe bat losses in the United States have led to a 31% increase in agriculture pesticides, which is estimated to cost our country's farmers $26.9 billion.

In Texas, our Parks and Wildlife Department estimated bats recently were still saving farmers $1.4 billion annually.

Locally, a good reason to protect our bat population is so that people can enjoy them as they head out from the bridge for their nightly pilgrimage.