Hibernating bats face welfare threats from disturbance during winter torpor that causes fatal energy expenditure, making hibernation site protection a critical animal welfare issue.
Bat hibernation welfare is acutely sensitive to disturbance during winter months. A single waking event — from a caving visitor, building work, or predator intrusion — costs energy that cannot be replaced until spring emergence. White-nose syndrome compounds this vulnerability by triggering premature rousing that depletes fat reserves before insects become available. The welfare case for hibernation site protection is straightforward and urgently important in the context of white-nose syndrome spreading across North America and Europe. Decontamination protocols for cavers prevent fungal spread; building protection regulations prevent roost loss.