With no direct knowledge of whether the coronavirus can infect or sicken North American wildlife, including bats, the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will continue the ongoing closure of three caves in the Forbes State Forest.
Lemon Hole and Coon caves in Westmoreland County, and Barton Cave in Fayette County will remain closed until further notice.
The caves are typically closed between October and May to protect hibernating bats. In the past, they have been temporarily closed to try and stop the spread of white-nosed syndrome among North American bats. As of April, however, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service recommended temporarily suspending activities involving direct contact with bats.
“We know that many mammals are susceptible to infection by a diversity of coronaviruses, and that these viruses can be found in wildlife just as they can in people,” Wildlife Health Office officials said in a statement. “What is not currently known is whether the novel coronavirus has the potential to infect, or cause illness in, North American wildlife, including bats.”
The closure will be reassessed as new information becomes available, officials said.
