Bats
Myths and misconceptions, combined with scary and negative portrayals in folklore, films, and literature, have given bats a bad reputation, one that’s more fiction than fact. From their value in preserving global biodiversity to longevity secrets that may help fight human aging, bats are vital to the health of the environment and economy, and to our everyday lives.
These creatures of the night have numerous claims to fame. More than 1,400 species of bats—about 20 percent of all mammal species—populate the globe, making them the second largest group of mammals. Located on every continent except for Antarctica, bats are Earth’s most widely distributed terrestrial mammals, from above the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego in the south.
Bats are by far the most diverse group of mammals, something seen in their diets, physical characteristics, behavioral traits, and whether they migrate or hibernate.
Bats were the first and remain the only mammals capable of powered flight. Over their 50 million years of evolution, bats have developed creative ways to cope with life’s challenges and function at night. For example, many species rely on echolocation to navigate in darkness, hunt prey, and avoid obstacles, releasing a high-pitched sound that bounces off objects which they use to navigate and hunt.
Sadly, populations of these extraordinary animals are falling, due largely to human activities and disease. Another contributing factor is that bats, for their size, rank among the slowest-reproducing mammals on Earth. Taken together, bats are exceptionally vulnerable to extinction.
Bats are key components of ecological communities and important bioindicators for ecosystem health—making them too important to lose.
