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Bat Count and Pd Testing
Bat Count and Pd Testing
By: Austin Goodsell
On January 28th, I joined Adam Brewerton from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Avery Cook and Drew Eline from the U.S. Forest Service for a bat count and Pd testing trip inside Logan Cave. Pd, short for Pseudogymnoascus destructans, is the fungus responsible for white-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease that has devastated bat populations across North America. This trip was part of an annual winter effort to monitor the health of the local bat colony and check for any signs of disease.
Logan Cave is one of northern Utah's better-known caves, both for its accessibility and for the ongoing challenges with vandalism and unauthorized entry. Despite those issues, it remains a significant winter roost site. For me, this was an opportunity to assist with meaningful conservation work, see firsthand the effort that goes into keeping these species monitored and protected, and strengthen the Timp Grotto's relationships with these agencies.
The Survey Process
Our goal wasn't simply to count bats; it was to test for the presence of Pd, which would indicate whether WNS might be active in the colony.
We entered the cave around midday and walked the main passage until we reached the point where water covered the full width of the floor. The passage throughout is wide and tall, easy to move through. As we made our way in, we counted every bat we spotted. By the time we reached the turnaround point, we had tallied around 200.
On the way out, we conducted the Pd testing. We swabbed approximately 25 bats, carefully dipping each swab in solution before rolling it across one wing five times and across the nose five times. The swab was then broken off into a vial for later lab analysis. We also examined each bat under a UV light, looking for the distinctive bright orange glow that can signal a WNS infection. All bats tested negative under UV.
The testing process did cause some stirring among the colony, but we watched them settle back down almost immediately. The whole team moved efficiently and with care throughout.
Observations Inside the Cave
The section of Logan Cave we visited is entirely a walking passage, wide, tall, and straightforward to navigate from the entrance all the way to where the water takes over the floor. At that point, I stemmed a bit further ahead to get a look. The passage continued, but dry ground never reappeared. Without waders and with this being outside the scope of the trip, I turned around.
Even though the cave is gated and officially closed to the public, it's evident that people are still finding their way in. We found fresh footprints both inside and outside the cave, and the lock showed signs of recent tampering. There is broken glass scattered across the floor and a fair amount of graffiti, some of it painted over, but the cave would benefit greatly from a more thorough cleanup effort, including sandblasting and debris removal.
Despite the damage, the cave continues to function as a winter roost. That said, the volume of unauthorized traffic is a serious concern. Logan Cave is officially closed to all but one permitted visit per year for monitoring purposes. Every unauthorized entry carries the risk of disturbing the colony. In winter, that kind of disturbance can force bats to leave their roost and burn through critical energy reserves they cannot afford to lose. During maternity season, it can cause mothers to abandon their pups, impacts that ripple through the population in real and lasting ways.
Future Access and Conservation
While we were in the cave, I spoke with Adam and the Forest Service team about potential future management approaches. There had apparently been discussions at some point about Stokes Nature Center leading guided trips into Logan Cave during August and September, a narrow window between the end of maternity season and the start of breeding and hibernation. That idea never moved forward.
I mentioned that the grotto has experience helping manage caves on Forest Service land, and there was genuine interest in having us get more involved with Logan Cave. A formal management plan could provide people with a legal avenue to visit the cave during the appropriate season, potentially reducing the pressure that drives some to break in. It wouldn't solve everything, but it would be a meaningful step in the right direction. The team was receptive, and I am currently pursuing that conversation with the Logan Ranger District.
After decades of closure, there's real potential for the grotto to help lead authorized trips into Logan Cave during that short seasonal window when visits wouldn't disturb roosting or breeding bats. That kind of opportunity only comes through trust built over time. Maintaining strong relationships with agencies like the Forest Service and BLM, as well as private landowners who have caves on their property, is essential if we want continued access and a genuine role in managing and protecting these places.
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