Did you know that there are over 1,200 different species of bats in the world?
Or what the smallest bat in the world is?
If you love these flying mammals, check out our interesting facts on bats!
There are two main groups of bats: Megachiroptera (Large Bat or megabats) and Microchiroptera (Small Bat or microbats).
Bats live in caves, trees, and buildings.
The collective name for a group of bats is called a colony, and a baby bat is called a pup.
Bats are mouse-like, nocturnal, flying mammals that were once known as “flying” or “flitter” mice.
They are the only mammals that are capable of controlled, self-propelled flight.
Noctule bats fly before sunset, whereas Pipistrelles appear soon after sunset.
The reason why bats hang upside down when resting is that their limbs are unable to support their weight.
In the U.K., there are seventeen species of bats. All of these are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
The smallest bat in the world is called the Bumblebee Bat.
During hibernation, bats slow down their heart rate, breathing, and other body functions to conserve energy.
In South America, there are blood-eating bats, called vampire bats. Vampire bats are one of the main reasons bats are associated with Halloween.
Bats make high-frequency sounds, and the echoes of these sounds bounce back, which enables a bat to make a mental map. Using this mental map, they are able to avoid the smallest of obstacles whilst locating their prey.
In just a split second, Echolocation enables bats to determine the size of objects, their location, how fast they are traveling, and even their texture!
Bats are amazing animals that come in many shapes and sizes.
From the tiny Bumblebee Bat to the larger megabats, each one plays an important role in nature.
By learning more about bats and protecting them, we can help these fascinating creatures continue to live safely around the world!
