Beauty shot of water and surrounding vegetation at Las Vegas Wash

A biologist holds a bat with wing stretched for examination prior to white nose syndrome testing

White-nose syndrome detected in bats in Nevada

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) has confirmed the first detection of the fungal pathogen that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats in Nevada.

The positive sample came from a site near Lake Mojave monitored by the National Park Service.

WNS primarily impacts hibernating bats by causing them to wake up more often, increasing their energy expenditure and cold exposure, and has resulted in the deaths of millions of bats.

The disease appeared in New York in 2006 but has been spreading across the United States.

Since 2023, the Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee (LVWCC) has partnered with NDOW to sample bats for the fungus in the spring, as individuals are emerging from hibernation.

All samples from Las Vegas Wash sites have been negative.

Learn more about bats found at the Las Vegas Wash.

Where to go at the Las Vegas Wash

Clark County Wetlands Park

2,900-acre nature preserve
Miles of trails for walking, biking, bird watching and more
Nature Center with 10,000 square feet of interactive displays, artwork and activities

Get Directions

Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve

Home to thousands of migratory and resident desert birds
Nine ponds available for birding
3/4-mile long trail accessible by wheelchair

Get Directions

Water quality

See how the wetlands at the Wash clean the water that runs through them, filtering out harmful residues from fertilizers, oils and other contaminants that flow downstream.