Bats provide ecosystem services worth billions annually yet face dramatic population declines from habitat loss, disease, and wind turbines. Their welfare and conservation are deeply intertwined.
Bats are among the most welfare-neglected wild mammals despite their ecological importance. They suffer from roost disturbance, disease, persecution, and increasingly from collision with wind infrastructure. White-nose syndrome causes enormous suffering — affected bats arouse repeatedly from hibernation, burn their fat reserves, and die of starvation or exposure. Wildlife rehabilitators who work with bats provide critical care but need training and resources. Bat-friendly building design and reduced pesticide use directly improve bat welfare at scale.