As white-nose syndrome threatens bats nationwide, this scientist's probiotic ‘cocktail’ could save them

As night falls over a large country house in Washington state’s Snohomish County, a dozen volunteers gather around Abby Tobin, a scientist with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.

"They'll start getting restless soon," Tobin says.

The group is attentive as Tobin gives instructions. Their mission is as follows: catch as many bats as possible.

They’re looking for signs of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, which has been decimating bat populations in eastern North America over the last 15 years or so.

Abby Tobin instructs volunteers to catch as many bats as possible, with the ultimate goal of saving them from a deadly fungus that has destroyed populations in eastern Canada. (Genevieve Lasalle/Radio-Canada)

The fungus, known as , infects bats’ skin, according