At 2:00 this afternoon, the USFWS issued a call for a caving moratorium in all WNS-affected states and adjoining states. This includes Maine to Ohio to North Carolina to Tennessee and Kentucky and everything in between.

Here is a link:

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/wnscaveadvisory.html

Peter Youngbaer
NSS 16161
WNS Liaison
wnsliaison@caves.org

Message received from KGS/KSS:

As the "bat biologist" for Kentucky, I am interested in preventing the spread of WNS into our state as I am sure all of you are as well. To do this takes cooperation from cavers and caving organizations, state and federal agencies, and private cave owners. I am proposing a follow-up meeting to be hosted by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to discuss our response to the caving moratorium issued by USFWS. This meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 30th or May 31st, location and time to be announced.

I will be sending out an "official" invitation to a representative of each grotto and caving organization in Kentucky once we have complied that list. If you are a member of a grotto or caving organization, please let me know if you are willing to represent your grotto or organization at this meeting. If you are not the representative for your grotto or organization, please pass this along and coordinate internally to determine the most appropriate person to represent your group. I have attached a list of grottos (mostly from the NSS website with help from Bill Walden - thanks Bill!) so please take time to review to make sure we aren't missing someone. Once a representative has been determined, please email me or have that person email me with their contact information.

Thanks!!

Brooke Slack
Wildlife Biologist
Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources
#1 Sportsman's Lane
Frankfort, KY 40601

Office - 502/564-7109 ext. 4573
Mobile - 502/221-1378
Email - brooke.slack@ky.gov