Bats = Tequila

The Montreal Gazzette recently reported on "white-nose syndrome" and it's possibly lethal effects on bats. My younger brother came to me looking for answers. I answered his questions as best as I could but evidently I hit pay-dirt with the phrase "bats equal tequila" and the resulting conversation was the inspiration for this blog. Enjoy!

The agave plant is dependent on bats for the pollination of its flowers (and subsequently the creation of its fruit) and the agave fruit is where the worlds supply of tequila comes from. Agave is found in Mexico mostly however the species of bats which pollinate the agave migrate north to hibernate over the winter in the caves of Arizona and Texas.

A researcher I spoke with at the CEREEP - Ecotron research station in Nemours, France, pointed out that there is as yet no obvious means by which the fungus affects the bats. What does remain obvious is that no more bats = no more tequila.

The Lascaux caves in France are famous for 17,000 year old cave art. What has survived for 17o centuries just fine has deteriorated rapidly since their discovery in 1942. Mold and fungus has taken up residency in the caves and continues to destroy and discolour this ancient art. Blamed on both a bad idea to air condition the place and on over visitation the caves are now closed to scientists and the public alike. The Mars 500 Project in Moscow aims to lock several would be astronauts in a mock space ship for 500 days to see what happens. Among the topics of interest are what kind of fungus and mold might spring up on the walls an ceilings of the station. The white nose fungus afflicting the bats may have been introduced to the caves by visitors and scientists too?