Forecasting the Future of Cave Myotis: Using Data-driven Models to Evaluate WNS Treatments and Management
Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Julie Weckworth, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor
University of Montana
Webinar Description:
White-Nose Syndrome has caused catastrophic declines to North American bat populations, but the development of varied and innovative treatments, including vaccination, offers a path forward for their recovery. This webinar explores a four-year, collaborative research program focused on the Cave Myotis bat species, showcasing a powerful computer-based decision support tool we have developed to help wildlife managers make informed, bat-saving choices. By combining detailed field research—such as how these bats move, respond to disease, and adapt—with sophisticated, agent-based simulations, we have built a predictive engine that tracks individual bats to see how they respond to different environmental pressures and disease management strategies. In this session, I will explain how this tool allows us to “test” conservation ideas before implementing them, such as evaluating the effectiveness of different vaccination approaches and predicting long-term population survival. The goal is to provide conservationists and agency staff with a practical, sustainable resource that turns research into real-world action to prevent extinction.
Bio:
Julie Weckworth is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Montana specializing in wildlife disease genetics. She is co-presenting today on behalf of a collaborative team that combines expertise in landscape genomics, bat ecology, and computational ecology to mitigate White-Nose Syndrome (WNS) in Cave myotis and other bats. Within this multi-disciplinary project, Julie’s role focuses on bridging the gap between rigorous research and conservation in practice, working directly with both the scientists developing data-driven computer models and the managers implementing strategies on the ground to protect vulnerable bat populations.
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This project was funded by a State Wildlife Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Conservation Investment (OCI).
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