A deadly fungus that has killed about a million bats on the east coast, known as white nose syndrome, has local biologists worried because it's spreading westward. They're uncertain, however, whether the fungus, which relies on cold temperatures, will mutate into something that can survive warmer Sacramento-like winters, explained Winston Lancaster, an associate professor of biological sciences at Sacramento State University who has been studying bats since the 1980s. “What's the greater likelihood is that it will be different. We just don't know what to expect,” Lancaster said. “So there is good reason to believe that in a drier climate and in an open sort of roost, like we have in

Parents looked closely and children's eyes widened as Northern California Bats' founder Corky Quirk used two live bats to educate in Old Sacramento Saturday. Quirk brought a Mexican Free-Tailed bat and Big Brown bat to Trail Mix, a store selling outdoor merchandise and projects for children and adults. About 40 children, parents and adults attended the event, and about 20 more trickled in after to see the bats. "It went really well with standing room only," Quirk said. "People were really quiet, which really surprised me, but they stayed a long time, which says something to me." Quirk said she wanted to help people understand the importance of bats, what they do for the environment and