Problem: With regard to white-nose syndrome, what does the opportunistic hypothesis state? Need Assignment Help? Bats without the disease are opportunistic and will take territories from the bats that succumb to the disease. Bats would take the opportunity to get white-nose syndrome unless they chose otherwise. White-nose syndrome does not kill bats, but another opportunistic disease kills bats already weakened by white-nose syndrome. The fungus is opportunistic and attacks bats that are already weakened by another disease.