Going Batty: Celebrating Bats on International Bat Appreciation Day

04/18/23 • 38 min

In this episode of Wildly Curious (formerly For the Love of Nature), co-hosts Katy Reiss and Laura Fawks Lapole celebrate International Bat Appreciation Day by diving into the world of bats. With over 1,400 species worldwide, bats are second only to rodents in terms of diversity. From microbats with insect-eating abilities to the massive fruit bats, they explore what makes these misunderstood creatures so fascinating. Discover why bats hang upside down, how echolocation works, and the critical role bats play in ecosystems. Tune in for a fun and informative episode that just might change how you see these winged mammals!

Perfect for bat lovers, nature enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the amazing adaptations of bats.

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04/18/23 • 38 min

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Wildly Curious - Going Batty: Celebrating Bats on International Bat Appreciation Day

Transcript

00:00:05.800

Hello and welcome to For The Love of Nature, a podcast where we tell you everything you need to know about nature, and probably more than you wanted to know. I'm Laura. And I'm Katie. And today is International Bad appreciation day. Woohoo. Woo. Which everybody knows if you've listened to these before. I love bats. Um, yeah, they're so cool. They are so neat. I think that they get a bad rap way too much. They're not creepy. They're, they're just really, really creepy.

Going Batty: Celebrating Bats on International Bat Appreciation Day Top Questions Answered

How many species of bats are there?

There are 1400 bat species.

What is the Bat1 Project?

The Bat1 Project aims to sequence the genomes of all 1400 bat species to better understand their evolution and adaptation.

What are the threats to bats?

Habitat destruction, particularly deforestation, is a major threat to bats as it destroys their roosting and foraging areas.

What are the ecological roles of bats?

Bats are important for pest control, pollination, and the food chain.

When is International Bat Day?

International Bat Day is a time to appreciate bats and their ecological role, although the specific date was not mentioned.

How do bats fly?

Bats are the only mammals capable of sustained flight. Their wings are modified arms with elongated fingers and a thin membrane in between.

How do bats use echolocation?

Bats use echolocation for navigation and hunting. They emit ultrasonic sounds and listen for echoes to determine the location of objects in their surroundings.

What are microbats?

Microbats make up 70% of bat species and are insectivores. They have small sizes, large ears for echolocation, and wingspans of less than two feet.

Where do tree-hibernating bats and cave-hibernating bats live?

Tree-hibernating bats live in trees and are solitary, while cave-hibernating bats live in caves and are social.

What is the largest concentration of bats in one spot?

Bracken Cave in Texas is home to 15-20 million Mexican free-tailed bats, the largest concentration of bats in one spot.

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