10 brilliant bat facts!
These cool critters have something of a sinister and spooky reputation – but they don’t deserve it! Come on gang, let’s check out some brain-boggling bat facts…
Bat facts!
1. There are more than 1,300 bat species!
That makes them the second most common group of mammals, after rodents. In fact, around a fifth of all mammals on Earth are bats!
2. Bats are found almost everywhere on Earth!
Other than the polar regions, extreme deserts, and a few isolated islands, bats live in every habitat on Earth. Many species spend their time in huge tropical rainforests, while others inhabit grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands.
3. Some species weigh less than a penny, while others have a whopping 1.8m wingspan!
Some of the biggest bat species are part of a group known as megabats! These whopping bats live in the tropics, where they hang out in trees, snacking on fruit, nectar, and pollen.
DID YOU KNOW?
The majority of bats are known as ‘microbats‘. Unlike their megabat cousins, these species come out at night to munch on insects.
4. Bats sleep upside-down
Whether hiding in dark caves, sneaking into old tree hollows, or even living in the roofs of old buildings, all bats need a safe place to snooze – where they hang suspended from their feet! Scientists think this sleeping strategy allows bats to easily escape from predators, as they can drop straight into flight.
5. Most bats use sound to ‘see’ the world around them
This nifty navigation system is called echolocation! Bats send out waves of sound from their mouths or noses, which bounce off their surroundings right back to their ears. By listening to the echoes, bats can build up a picture of exactly what’s around them – including juicy insects!
WEIRD BUT TRUE!
Have you ever heard the phrase ‘blind as a bat’, to describe someone who can’t see very well? Well, this old saying is totally inaccurate, as bats have good eyesight as well as awesome hearing!
6. Ancient civilisations worshipped bat-like gods
The Aztecs celebrated many Gods including Mictlāntēcuhtli, the principle God of the Dead. This ancient deity had a scrunched, bat-like face and clawed hands and feet!
CALLING ALL TEACHERS!
Check out our Aztec Civilisation primary resource for more on these amazing ancient people.
7. The scientific name for bats is Chiroptera, which means ‘hand wing’
Look closely and you’ll see why… Each bat wing is actually a thin layer of skin stretched between four long fingers and a thumb! In fact, the structure isn’t all that different to a human hand, or a crocodile’s foot. Wow!
8. Blood-sucking ‘Vampire bats’ are real… Eek!
There are three species of blood-drinking bats, but don’t worry – they tend to prey on livestock like cattle and horses, attacks on humans are very rare! Vampire bats can be found hunting at night in Mexico and other Central and South American countries.
9. When in flight, bats hearts beat 1,000 times a minute!
Some bat species can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes an hour during their nightly hunts. With such busy feeding frenzies, their bodies are working overtime!
10. Bats are hugely important for people and the planet
Did you know, bats are pollinators, just like bees and butterflies? In fact, hundreds of plant species rely on bats to pollinate them, including fruits like bananas, avocados, and mangos! The bats then poop out the seeds, helping to disperse new trees.
Plus, bats all over the world eat millions of insects every night, protecting people from diseases spread by insects and reducing the amount of pesticide that farmers need to use to keep their crops bug-free. Cool!
Did you enjoy our brilliant bat facts? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
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COMMENTS1
hi
Thats cool
bat
so cute
Eivin.McNeilly
This is a very good information and I did not know half of this stuff :)
Bat lover 16
This was very helpful for my science project at school
MMK
I’m a NG reader!
JOBE
I love bats !
Daniel
Awesome facts Loved it didnt know there was so much intrsesting things about bats, or god that looked like them.
bats are so cool!
Ivan
You made me love bats even more!
pink
so cool i want more pls
I'm not telling my name
I am researching bats and this was a great website to use! I hope there is more great info on hear
wyndham
I love bats
Amiee
i learned a lot about bats today (^.^)
Mom
I love batss so much noww
helen
i love learning about bats
elayne
I learned so much about bats from this!!:)
shadow
bat are cool
I love bats
Evie
Bat facts were so cool it made me want to learn more about bats!
Slay weirdo
Thanks for all your wonderful facts about bats
Emersyn + Maddison
Emersyn:They are extremely amazing! Maddison: I’m not a bat person but that’s SOOOO cool!
Soren
I love bats
haddie
they are so cute! And also very interesting!
liam
love learning new stuff.
amazing bats!!!
Jenaya Aggarwal
Very educational but the vampire bat was a bit scary.
Peti
Wow!
Maddox
love it!
Sihoo
So cute
ivan
it was cool
sanat giri
it was cool
Harry
So incredibly cool
Rudra
So cool!
Unknown
awesome facts :)
Tylerthemathgoat
This helped me for my homework at school tysm for the information
I didn't know that!
Preksha
These facts are so wonderful. I wish there were more!!!!!!!!!!
Ferdi
I like it its fasanating i want to read it 1,00 times
(Unknown)
I love bats they are cute
arielle
it help me in my learning
Cooooooooooool
thanks for the facts
kay
cool
Loved it helped me in my report
I love bats and that was awesome
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Viannna
Coool
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Lover of animals and environment
I love it so cool
sg
noice
guy
COOL
Viannna
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Viannna
COOL
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momo
love it!!!!!!!!
Ted
I love your animal facts.
Animal lover
Great info!!!
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woofy
sooooo intresting
Anna
Great
Sam McMaster jone
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Swm
My mama got this for me I love bats
Emily
very helpful for school
Hannah
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ria
awsome!
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nate
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Anonymouse
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me
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homeschool
sooooooooooooooooooooo cool
james
awesome
Xin Cheng
Bats are so important and so cool.
Xin Cheng
this is so awesome
Liam
These are the best!!
Kai
It is super
Epic
coco neamo do
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puppy
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Mary
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jasmine
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seth olson
nice I like it
annie
bats are pretty cool!!!
Bats look like birds at night. I have thought they were birds many times
JEFF
WOW
Baylee
I love bats they are my fav animals they are so cute
Albert
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Albert
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Alida
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annah
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Alida
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Alida
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Connor Richird Mclaughlin
I LOVE BATS!!!
Connor Richird Mclaughlin
I LOVE BATS!!!
william
i like bats
Lily
Bats are one of my favorite animals i have seen reel bats two times amzing!
makenna
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wyatt t
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MARIAH
Bats are nice
i think bats are intestring :) <3
Louis
This is a very nice idea app
COOL FACTS!
jackson
Bats are so cute.
Betsy
thanks for the facts they were very helpful
ALEXIS
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MARIAH
I LOVE BATS!!!!!!!
MIRANDA
I love bats!
willzuo
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
grayson
Bats r so cute and facinating
Isabella
NICE
Reagan318
Bats are really COOL!!!!!!!!
Diana montano
i think bats are cool i was reading about a story cald ready fready and it has facts about bats
Ryan
I like bats
cool
KRISHANTH
this is awsome
Cool beans
Cool
Kiya
I love bats
Renee Mckenna and Amy Mckenna
BATS ARE CUTE!!!!! I Love Bats!!!!!
that was very cool
so cute
Alexa
I love this
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Stmboat805
they are cute
Thanks for the research
Parker
Bats are so cool!! Please post More facts about bats because I love them
Luke Davidson
bats are hugely important for people and the planet
cute
ndbfhfudhgurh
bats are so cute!!!!!!!!!!!
NRG_81
COOL
Davi
I really liked this! THANK YOU!!!
Peyton .W
I love how this site shows all of the facts about different animals and people that we do not know about that is why i love this site so much and i hope other people come to this site and try this site that i am on right now.
jackierteacher
Love this site! I use it all the time. Everything is written so young kids can understand. Keep it coming. Thanks!!!!
COOL
Leon
Good
Camden and ETHAN
It is cool and we liked it
Gavin Davis
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rodina
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Ohunene Enesi
I can,t believe it, they actually help us!
Melody
So cool!
Daweird_one
Amazing!
alberto
They are fantastic facts
Amelia
Cool
Chloe Chen
Wow
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adriana
bats are the best
Saber
Very interesting
Emily
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xcgbt4xnb
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yoop78
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Random person
So cute
Alex
wow!
Flippy
Flippy
Nice
Flippy
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alexperp
cool
trystan
that was weird but interesting
Hii_:)
Wow! Those facts are cool
Dan
Dan
NICE
learner man
cool
zoe
i love reshearching bats
connor
I love the bat facts. I will definitely want to read more facts about animals and other things.
hazel
Cool
Interesting and cool, really helped with my homework!
helloooooo30
It was amazing
Po
Fun
Aaron
wow and cool
batty
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awesome
maddison
it was useful NGL<3
maddison
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Wiktor
I really liked it
Azka
London
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