Experts are warning Congress that a fungus attacking America's bats could spread nationwide in years and represents the most serious threat to wildlife in a century, according to AP. State and independent experts told two House of Representatives subcommittees Thursday that money and manpower are needed to stop the spread of white-nose syndrome, named for whitish dusting the fungus creates on bats' noses, ears and wings. First detected in 2007 in a New York cave, the fungus has spread to nine states and killed 500,000 to 1 million bats, mostly common species. Recently, it spread to areas close to some of the largest and most endangered bat populations in the United States. Some caves have been closed to people as a way to prevent spread of the fungus.
