About BAT
Mosquito Catchers: Hollywood may have given bats a bad
name, but the zigzag path of a bat against the night sky can mean only one
thing, thousands of mosquitoes are about to meet their maker, thus lessening
the chance of outbreaks of malaria in other animals including humans.
Fruit and Blood Eaters: Some species of bats also eat
fruit and use their tongues to sip nectar. Carnivorous bats put lizards and
frogs on the menu, and fish-eating bats have no trouble capturing a fish dinner
with their hooked claws. The infamous vampire bat uses its sharp teeth to
pierce the skin of animals for the liquid nourishment of blood.
Flapping Wings: Bats are the only mammal that can take
to the sky on flapping wings. Wingspans range from over 5 feet in the fox bat
to 6 inches in the hog-nosed bat. Many species of bat are found worldwide in
tropical and temperate climates.
Seeing by Listening: In its nightly search for food, a
bat's secret weapon is echolocation. Focusing on a tasty morsel, a clicking
sound is emitted through its mouth or nose. The time it takes for the sound to
return to the bat's highly receptive ears reveals the size and location of the
object.
Bat Facts
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Kingdom:
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Animalia
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Phylum:
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Chordata
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Class:
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Mammalia
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Order:
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Chiroptera
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Family:
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Microchiroptera
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Genus:
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Emballonuridae
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Scientific
Name:
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Chiroptera
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Type:
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Mammal
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Diet:
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Omnivore
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Size (L):
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3cm - 180cm (1.2in - 71in)
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Weight:
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2g - 1,000g (0.07oz - 35oz)
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Top Speed:
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40km/h (25mph)
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Life Span:
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10 - 30 years
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Lifestyle:
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Pack
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Conservation
Status:
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Least Concern
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Colour:
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Brown, Black, Grey
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Skin Type:
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Fur
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Favourite Food:
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Mice
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Habitat:
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Woodland and caves
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Average
Litter Size:
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1
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Main Prey:
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Mice, Frogs, Fruit
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Predators:
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Owls, Eagles, Snakes
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Distinctive
Features:
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Large ears detect prey using echolocation and have strong,
flexible wings
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