Climate Change and Disease Threaten Nearly All North American Bat Species, Scientists Report

out of 154 bat species in North America are at risk of severe population decline in the next 15 years due to climate change, disease, and habitat loss.
Bats play an important role in healthy ecosystems and give U.S. agriculture a $3.7 billion annual boost by eating crop-destroying insects.
Millions of bats have died since 2006 from a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome, and eight U.S. bat species are listed as endangered.
Bats are imperiled by forest fragmentation, climate change, and wind turbines, which cause an estimated 880,000 bat deaths each year.
Solutions under development include vaccines, anti-fungal sprays, ultraviolet light treatments, and acoustic devices to steer bats clear of turbines.