Fun Fact 2: The smallest bat lives in Central Africa, it is just 4 cm (1.5 inches) long and has a wingspan of 12.5 cm (about 5 inches)
Fun Fact 3: The largest bat lives in Java, Indonesia it is 42 cm (16.7 inches) long and has a wingspan of 140 cm (about 5 ft)
Fun Fact 4: The scientific name for a Bat is Chiroptera which when translated means hand wing. Bats are the only mammal that can in fact fly
Fun Fact 5: The Bat is a nocturnal mammal, which mean they only come out when it's dark. They can see and hunt their prey in the dark using echolocation. Echolocation is when the high pitched sounds that a bat creates are echoed, this enables them to make a mental map of distance and barriers
Fun Fact 6: Bats have large ears and exception hearing. The inner ear area is ridged, which ensures that Echolocation signals are received effectively, the ears are so sensitive they can even pick up on the flutter of moth wings
Fun Fact 7: Bats live in groups, and their usual habitat is inside caves, trees, or buildings. The largest know colony of bats live in the Bracken Cave's of Texas, during the summer it is home to an estimated 20 million bats!
Fun Fact 8: Vampire bats DO exist. They live in South America and feed on the blood from animals including birds, cattle, horses and pigs
Fun Fact 9: A bat can hang upside down for as long as it likes, it's toes curl around and lock into place, it uses no muscles or energy so a bat can remain upside and sleep for hours
Fun Fact 10: When a newborn bat is just 2-3 weeks hold it is expected to fly and hunt for itself
Fun Fact 11: Wind turbines are a modern threat to bats and are affected by them more than birds are, although studies are continuing it has been suggested that they are attracted to the structures as a possible nesting home, and that their lungs can't cope with the change in wind pressures
Fun Fact 12: In many cultures bats are associated with mythology, spirits and witchcraft. Some Native Americans consider the bat as a trickster spirit
Fun Fact 13: Bat wings are very different to birds wings, as the bone structure and finger bones are not the same, this means bats are more flexible and can fly more accurately than birds
Fun Fact 14: In 2003, a bat fossil was found in Wyoming, U.S.A. It dates back to over 52 million years ago
Fun Fact 15: All bats are nocturnal with the exception of the large fruit eating bat from South American, called the Flying fox, this sub order of the bat family is also the largest |
