First bat suffering from white nose syndrome might have been found in P.E.I.

CHARLOTTETOWN -- Officials in Prince Edward Island are investigating a possible case of white nose syndrome in a bat.

Fish and wildlife officials are asking the public to report any winter sightings of live or dead bats after a northern long-eared bat was recently found.

Rosemary Curley of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry says bats do not normally overwinter in large numbers in P.E.I., so the bat may have been blown to the island from Nova Scotia or New Brunswick in a storm.

She says they are working with staff at the Atlantic Veterinary College to determine if this is the first reported case of the syndrome.

The government says preliminary findings indicate the bat was likely suffering from white nose syndrome, a fatal fungal infection.

It has hit bat populations across a large part of eastern North America.