You may be surprised to learn that bats can fly. As mammals of the order Chiroptera, they are the only mammals with forelimbs that have been adapted as wings. This unique adaptation enables them to fly far better than birds and other mammals. The wings of bats are made of long, spread digits covered in a thin membrane. Here are some fascinating facts about bats. Adaptability is one of their best traits. If you want to learn more, visit url here.
Nature’s scouts
Bats spend most of their time grooming. Some species have the most fur and have the biggest ears of any North American species. The endangered Hawaiian Hoary bat recently crossed the Pacific Ocean to become the state land mammal of Hawaii. They have a remarkable longevity of more than thirty years. And, bats have a tendency to live longer than they would in captivity. While most bats live less than twenty years in the wild, six species can live up to thirty years. A tiny bat from Siberia has the world record at 41 years.
They are nocturnal
There are interesting facts about bats, but it’s no secret that they live at night. Most bats are nocturnal. In fact, there are approximately 1,400 species of bats living on Earth. As you can probably guess, bats are active during the night to hunt insects. But why are they so active at night? One of the primary reasons is that they are protected from the heat and humidity.
They have good eyesight
Despite their large size and amazing visual acuity, bats have poor eyesight compared to human beings. They have different photoreceptors than human eyes and use vision for many purposes including finding food, avoiding obstacles and finding mates. According to an article in the Friends of Bats newsletter, “Bats’ eyesight is inferior to that of eagles”. This is due to the fact that human eyesight is 4 to 8 times better than a fruit bat’s.”
They are adaptable
While most people think of bats as blood-crazed creatures of the night, that’s not always the case. Bats are actually incredibly adaptable and rarely attack humans. Not only that, but bats have a huge ecological impact and can save the agriculture industry billions of dollars each year! There are plenty of interesting facts about bats, so be sure to check them out! You may be surprised at just how many different kinds of bats there are!
They can fly high in the air
For centuries, scientists have wondered how bats can fly so high. But recent research has revealed that bats are capable of flying over a mile high, or more than 1,600 meters. To reach such heights, bats use vertical wind energy in the night sky. And the European free-tailed bat is capable of a mile flight in under 20 minutes. These findings could help engineers engineer bio-inspired high-speed, low-energy flights.
They spread seeds in the tropics
Tropical frogs, hummingbirds, and flying foxes all play crucial roles in maintaining tropical forests. Not only do they help to replenish forests after deforestation, but they also defecate during their flights. This makes them effective long-distance dispersers of tropical seeds. Old World flying foxes can carry seeds for miles, including between islands in the Southeast Pacific.
They are a great source of food
Some of the foods we consume every day are a result of the bats we feed them. They help plants by dispersing seeds, and they also pollinate a variety of plants. Scientists estimate that they consume enough pests every year to save the corn industry about $1 billion every year. Other crops that benefit from bat pollination are figs, almonds, and even the agave plant, the source of tequila.