Bats are the world's only flying mammals, providing vital ecological services. They face threats from habitat loss, disease, and human persecution, and have complex welfare needs often misunderstood by the public.
Bat welfare is compromised by a combination of habitat loss, disease, persecution, and wind turbine mortality. White-Nose Syndrome remains a catastrophic threat to North American bat populations with no widely deployable cure. Wind turbines kill an estimated 600,000-900,000 bats annually in the US alone, primarily through barotrauma from pressure changes near blades. Many bats injured in roosts are brought to wildlife rehabilitators — these animals require specialized care as handling stress is significant and their dietary needs (live insects) are difficult to meet. Public misconceptions about bats as rabies vectors lead to unnecessary killing of roosting colonies. In fact, fewer than 1% of bats carry rabies, and bat colonies provide enormous economic value through insect control.