White-nose syndrome has killed millions of North American bats since 2006, representing one of the most devastating wildlife disease events in recorded history.
White-nose syndrome causes bats to rouse repeatedly during hibernation, burning fat reserves they need to survive winter. Affected bats often emerge during cold weather in desperate search for food that does not exist, dying of starvation or exposure. The scale of individual animal suffering involved — millions of bats dying slowly — is enormous, and the ecological consequences of bat population collapse are severe. Research into treatments and resistance is urgently needed.