Bats — the only flying mammals — face dual crisis from White-Nose Syndrome devastating North American cave populations and wind turbine barotrauma killing migrants across both continents.
Bat welfare involves two distinct forms of mass suffering. White-Nose Syndrome disrupts hibernation metabolism — infected bats rouse from torpor repeatedly during winter, burning fat reserves and dying of dehydration and starvation in the cold months when no insects are available. Death occurs over weeks as bats progressively weaken. Wind turbine barotrauma causes immediate internal hemorrhage from the pressure waves created by moving blades — bats flying near turbines die from burst blood vessels without external injury, making the cause of death difficult to diagnose without necropsy. This barotrauma mechanism means bats can be killed by turbines without touching the blades. Simple operational modifications — increasing the cut-in wind speed at which turbines begin operating during peak migration periods — substantially reduce mortality at minimal energy generation cost.