Glacier National Park reports white-nose syndrome on 21 October
Published on 10/31/2026 at 14:08 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSWildlife research and park setting
- Park officials announced the Saint Mary detection on 21 October 2026.
- Pseudogymnoascus destructans was also found in live bats on the park's east side.
- Glacier National Park was established in 1910 and joined a World Heritage Site in 1995.
Glacier National Park has reported its first detections of white-nose syndrome in bats in a news release issued on 21 October 2026. The finding concerns a little brown bat found dead in the Saint Mary area and samples from live bats on the park's east side. The park is in Montana, with its headquarters at West Glacier.
White-nose syndrome reaches Glacier's bats
The National Park Service said the dead bat was found in May. Testing of samples collected from live bats in June also detected Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, in multiple bats on the eastern side.
Park officials described the results as the first detections of both the fungus and the disease in the park and Glacier County. The disease affects hibernating bats by waking them during winter, which can deplete the fat reserves needed for survival and lead to dehydration, starvation and death. The official 21 October disease announcement also says white-nose syndrome does not infect humans or pets.
The park is taking part in continuing research on a vaccine intended to protect bats. Between 2024 and 2026, park biologists captured and processed 529 bats for the study. Of those, 265 received the vaccine and 264 received a placebo, allowing researchers to compare survival when the bats emerge from hibernation.
Why the bat finding matters in this mountain park
The detection adds a wildlife research development to a landscape known for glaciers, alpine meadows, carved valleys and lakes. The National Park Service lists more than 700 miles of trails, while the park's fact sheet records 158 trails with a combined length of 745.9 miles.
Glacier National Park was established on 11 May 1910. Together with Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, it forms the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, created in 1932 and recognised as a World Heritage Site in 1995. The World Heritage record places the site along the North American Continental Divide.
That setting helps explain the relevance of the announcement for visitors interested in natural history. The Saint Mary area and the eastern side are parts of the park's wider protected landscape, while the detection itself concerns bats and their habitats rather than a new visitor attraction.
Research continues after the 2026 detection
White-nose syndrome spreads mainly through contact between bats, while the fungus can remain in underground environments for years. People can unintentionally transport it on clothing, footwear and equipment used around caves or other bat habitats.
The park's announcement advises visitors never to handle or pick up a bat. It also points to decontamination guidance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for clothing, shoes and equipment after visits to caves or other places where bats are present. The research programme therefore links a new wildlife finding with practical care around sensitive habitats.
Visiting Glacier National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The white-nose syndrome announcement was issued on 21 October 2026 for Glacier National Park in Montana, United States.
- The announcement concerns bat health and does not announce a new closure or changed entrance for visitors.
- The park is based at West Glacier and includes the Saint Mary area on its eastern side.
- Visitors should not handle bats and should clean clothing, footwear and equipment after visiting caves or other bat habitats.
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Frequently asked questions about Glacier National Park
When was white-nose syndrome reported at Glacier National Park?
The National Park Service issued its announcement on 21 October 2026. It described detections in a dead bat from Saint Mary and in live-bat samples from the eastern side.
Does white-nose syndrome affect visitors at Glacier National Park?
The disease does not infect humans or pets, but people can transport the fungus on clothing, footwear and equipment. Visitors should not handle bats.
Where is Glacier National Park and how do you get there?
The park is in Montana, United States, and its headquarters are at West Glacier. Its protected landscape extends to the Saint Mary area and the eastern side of the park.
