The fragility of the northern long-eared bat and Indiana bat prompted Cuyahoga Valley National Park to close Ice Box Cave, a well-known habitat for the creatures, to the public. That's to protect them from white nose syndrome, a fungal disease that takes root during hibernation and leads to starvation, dehydration and death. 🦇 The very-rare Indiana bat, in particular, informs the park's policies, even though there's only one instance of the creature being seen at CVNP — and that sighting was more than 20 years ago. “They’re so rare, and we know they might be here, so they affect the way we operate,” says biologist Ryan Trimbath. 🔗 Read more about the bats, and other animals featured in Cleveland Magazine’s “Critter Week,” at the link in bio. 🖊 vguerrieri 📸 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service #cleveland #cvnp #nationalpark #bats nationalparkservice