The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing a $100,000 challenge to combat white-nose syndrome (WNS), a lethal fungus that has killed millions of bats in North America and pushed some native bat species to the brink of extinction. Funding will be awarded to individuals who identify innovative ways to permanently eradicate, weaken or disarm the disease.
There is no known cure for white-nose syndrome, but scientists worldwide are working together to study the disease and how it can be controlled. Much of this work has been conducted under the umbrella of the U.S. National Response to White-nose Syndrome, a broad, multi-agency effort led by the Service.
The Service will host a White-Nose Syndrome Challenge webinar Nov. 20, 2019, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET for the public to learn more about the challenge guidelines, judging criteria, timeline and more. The deadline for individuals or teams to enter the challenge is Dec.31, 2019, by 11:59 p.m. ET. Winning ideas will be the focus of future collaborations with scientists, designers and engineers to bring solutions to life. Additional information regarding rules and eligibility is available at White-nose Syndrome Challenge.