Bats face compounding threats from white-nose syndrome, wind turbine mortality, habitat loss and persecution, requiring coordinated conservation and welfare responses.
Bats suffer welfare harms both individually and at population level from multiple concurrent threats. White-nose syndrome causes a painful death from fungal infection that disrupts hibernation physiology. Wind turbine collision causes acute trauma. Roost disturbance causes abandonment of dependent young. The combination of slow reproductive rates and multiple stressors means bat populations are particularly vulnerable to these compounding pressures. Conservation measures that address each threat type are essential.