Wildlife Welfare

Wild Bat White-Nose Syndrome

White-nose syndrome, caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has devastated North American bat populations and has welfare implications for affected individuals.

Key Facts

White-nose syndrome has killed over 7 million North American bats since 2006
The fungus infects skin of hibernating bats, causing them to rouse and expend fat reserves
Mass mortality events from white-nose syndrome cause individual suffering at scale
The disease has not yet established in UK bat populations but monitoring continues
Conservation research into treatments including probiotics is ongoing

Welfare Considerations

White-nose syndrome causes individual welfare harm through disrupted hibernation and eventual starvation, as well as catastrophic population-level mortality. Supporting research into treatments protects both welfare and conservation.

What You Can Do

Support bat conservation organisations monitoring for white-nose syndrome
Never enter caves or mines where bats are hibernating to prevent disease spread
Learn about bat conservation threats including white-nose syndrome
Support research into white-nose syndrome treatments and prevention