[cdw2000]

" ... the most effective way to revert pollution, global warming, and disappearance of species, would be to strongly reduce human presence on earth. If there were one billion human inhabitants on earth, nature would expend again, global warning would slow down."

I think Mother Nature is already trying to reduce the invasive species known as "human", and in recent months appears to be stepping up the effort...

[BarryE]

...
What if the underwater camera housing is contaminated?.

Wash it.

Seems there aren't many cavers or ex-cavers on this forum. Pity. It would have interesting to hear what they might have said about the challenges involved in cave photography. It's a hostile environment with many lighting and lens issues to be dealt with. I suspect video is more common than stills, nowadays. Similar problems, but the awe (and terror) is probably easier captured in video, than with stills. Wandering around in show caves with artificial lights strung up and people frequently in frame is likely to be little different than photographing inside a church or cathedral. There are bats there too

[jgnfld]

Excuse me, and my incredulity at their new rules. What OP described is extreme. Clothing I can understand. Devices like cameras? It's ridiculous to think that it's a risk while people adhere to the old rules about cleaning their gear. Of course the fungus exists. We have it here, too, although by the sound of things it's not nearly as bad here.

I made an honest assessment of it. It sounds to me like the state is grasping at straws, desperate to control something, anything, while the bats (and many other species) collapse all around us. It is hubris to think we can stop these processes. When we make up unrealistic rules that can't help (and I am referring to the extreme nature of the new rules described), we're not doing anything good or productive. This has been a common theme in conservationism for the past half a century. We, with a very broad brush, we have a great deal of difficulty separating what we can control from what we can't. We need to start to accept that in a matter of decades many if not most of these animals will be gone due to our collective behaviour.

Taking such an angry attitude at me rather than what I said is inappropriate here. You could argue the point without the attack. I haven't attacked any person.

Who's angry? Simply said we don't need this kind of conspiracy-minded thinking here. It's way too prevalent already and doesn't need expansion to this forum. Nothing to be "angry" about. More of a sad observation and a wish not to observe such here.

Specifically, people who work with bats--just like people in industries that deal with poultry and other livestock in crowded conditions in their areas of jurisdiction--have a whole lot of knowledge based upon person-years, indeed person-centuries/millennia, of knowledge and research as well as the experience of prior miscalls and mistakes behind the policies put in place. And they are directly involved with the field every day and see the results of research, knowledge, and miscalls/mistakes every day over periods of years and decades. At base, they are in a pretty strong position to make an ACTUAL "honest assessment" based upon actual knowledge and experience.

Anyway, 'nuf said. I have little, if anything, else to say as I am not qualified to speak in any deep sort of detail about field biology (though I have decontaminated at certain animal operations on occasion). You apparently are, I guess.

[DWS1]

i haven't been in a cave system in a few years. After reading thru this thread, I'm not sure I'd go now.

[robgski]

In my area, several of the caverns are privately owned, they have an interest in preserving any bat population that lives there, but not all caverns have bats. Interesting creatures.

[stemked]

I'm a microbiologist and have done some local research here in Indiana on White-nose. Devastating disease. It appears the fungus originated in Europe and possibly moved here with human spelunkers. The large colonizing cave bats have been hit hardest, particularly colder temp bats. Wildlife personnel are doing their best to not get the disease in their caves and wiping out their colonies. Being honest it most likely NOT in the cameras, it most likely in clothes and hair of visitors. I do research in caves (non commercial) and we are careful to decontaminate our clothes between visits.

Other countries have similar concerns about fungus destroying trees (parts of Australia for example) spread though with human activity. New Zealand has very strict laws about decontaminating clothes before coming into sensitive areas.

[bhbrake]

I had no intention of stirring up a loaded/political/environment discussion - I was only commenting/inquiring on the difficulty of the current situation and curious how anyone else has dealt with it who is cave enthusiast given escalating seriousness of the issue. I have no intention of promoting deception/lying or reckless practices as I find it both immoral and destructive to behave in such a way for merely one's own enjoyment.
Other posters are correct in that the spores can travel through the air system and settled on various objects- they can be decontaminated and tested, but it can be difficult and entails more than just throwing something in a washing machine, thus the necessity of the rules.
My suspicion is many professionals who engage in cave photography likely have to spend a great deal and write off the purchases or sell the gear when done to offset the cost. It sounds like there aren't many on the boards here who have run into this issue, but I would be very interested in how they have handled it.
The camera case sounds like a reasonable way to comply if the sealed casing is retired form service and new one placed on the camera after exposure, but may not meet the "letter" of the law.
I have one camera that has never been in a cave (lumix G) which I will be taking on my next endeavor, and have replaced my hiking shoes this season, so it will be ok this year, but the the couple stops I have planned next year may force me into a K3III . I'll probably just buy a new wide-angle and re-sell it with a disclosure after I'm done. High demand gear is showing mild depreciation on the used market for the time being.

[rgknief60]

Wow, is the epidemic that bad among the bats or are the authorities power tripping?

I work in a hospital. Covid is not the only thing that kills. There are some items contaminated by infectious agents which one cannot easily bleach wipe clean. Spores can be especially bad. Depending on the type, they can go anywhere and get into anything. In some cases, the patient room, together with the equipment used in the room is gassed/fogged after the room is empty to ensure the room is safe for the next patient. What I find amazing (and comforting) is that my co-workers don PPE, go into these rooms with love and compassion to care for the patient.


It may well be that the average person does not have the ability to disinfect the clothes they wear after spelunking, and that even after repeated washing and drying. Gear is a whole other story.


I went to a presentation on keeping herps a couple of years ago. One of the things that was stressed is that if you collect a wild animal, you are responsible for that animal for the rest of it's life, as releasing it, even to it's original habitat, may transfer new disease to that habitat and wipe out populations. Let's show the love and compassion of my co-workers also to the animal world, and go above and beyond what is requested by their caretakers!