PCC News Page

• Longeared Bats
• Closed Caves
• Re-Opened Caves
• Cave Conservation Presentation
• PCC On NPR
• PCC Brochure
• PCC Breakfast Guidelines

  
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• Long-eared Bat Threatened:
  Randy Hurst has published a report on The Fish And Wildlife Service Listing the Northern Long-eared Bat As Threatened and its Potential Impact On Eastern US Caving Activities.
  
  For complete details see the Long-eared Bat Report (in .PDF printable format)

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• Closed Caves:
  Until further notice, please consider J4 Cave and Sharer Cave (Centre County, PA) closed. Do not attempt to access these caves or bother the owners.

  Please see the Restriced Cave List link at the top of the page for more information.

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• Re-Opened Caves:
  Last spring, May 2007, a large bat fatality occurred in Sharer Cave, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It was determined by the Pennsylvania Game Commission that the fatalities were related to drowning and not to White Nose Syndrome.

  Cavers going into the cave are asked to continue the decontamination of clothing and gear according to the protocol advisory issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These may be found at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Web Site

  Nittany Grotto has no reason to restrict cave visitation into Sharer Cave as long as decontamination protocols are followed.

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• Cave Conservation Presentation:
  Amos Mincin, member of Philly Grotto and the PCC, gave a cave conservation presentation at a meeting at Ridley Creek State Park.

  To view the slides from the presentation, please download the following PDF file:
  PCC Cave Conservation (NOTE: this file is very large: 17,000kb!)

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• PCC On NPR:
  In April 2005, National Public Radio aired an interview with Karen Bange, the Secretary for the PCC. The interview also included a trip through Alexander Caverns with Bald Eagle Grotto.

  To listen to the interview - just over 5 minutes long - please download the following MP3 file:
  The PCC on NPR (NOTE: this file is large: 1,200kb!)

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• PCC Brochure:
  The PCC has created a brochure that can be used to help promote cave conservation.

  For more information and/or to print out a free copy of the brochure, please see:
  The PCC Brochure Web Page (in a .PDF printable format)

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• PCC Breakfast Guidelines:
  The PCC has created guidelines for hosting a PCC Breakfast ...

  PCC Breakfast Guidelines (in a .PDF printable format)