White-nose syndrome, caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has killed millions of bats in North America, causing prolonged suffering during hibernation before death.
White-nose syndrome causes a prolonged, distressing death for affected bats. The fungal infection disrupts torpor, causing bats to arouse repeatedly from hibernation and deplete their winter fat reserves. Emerging in winter without food available, affected bats die of starvation and cold exposure. This welfare scenario — extended suffering before death during a period when intervention is extremely difficult — is unusual in wildlife disease. Research into probiotic treatment and UV light exposure of hibernacula shows promise. Supporting bat conservation through habitat protection and disease research addresses both welfare and ecological dimensions of this crisis.