Content
- The importance of bats in nature
- cute bats
- The bats at Tolga Bat Hospital
- Honduran white bat
- O Micropteropus pusillus looks like a flying mouse
- fluffy bat eating watermelon
- fluffy bat yawning
- Acerdon celebensis, the 'flying fox'
- A 'flying fox' cub
- fluffy bat pollinator
- Otonycteris hemprichii, the Sahara's Eared Bat
- Bats are wild animals
Bats are mammals with wings of the order chiroptera who suffer unjustly for a certain vampire fame or for the transmission of anger. Let's clarify, the real thing is that 1200 species of existing bats in the world, 178 of them in Brazil, only three feed on blood (hematophagous) and the human being is not part of its food chain, despite reports of isolated cases. These are three kinds of vampire bats that can transmit rabies when they are contaminated, as well as dogs, cats, pigs, raccoons, among other mammals. The official recommendation, therefore, is always to inform the local authorities about the presence of bats for zoonoses control and not to kill the animal, since the simplest way to do this control is with it alive.
Most bat species have nocturnal habits and their presence at unusual day and hours can be a sign of rabies. Considering all this, we believe that most people are not used to noticing well the physiognomy of these animals beyond their wings and coloration. It was thinking about breaking this taboo that we prepared this selection of cute bats in this PeritoAnimal post, to prove that they are nicer than they say!
The importance of bats in nature
With the issue of rabies cleared up, it's also important to remember that bats, like all animals within their ecosystem, play a key role in preserving the environment and nature's balance. Frugivorous and nectarivorous species, for example, contribute to the pollination of flower species, while insectivorous bats help to control urban and agricultural pests.
In time, the vampire bats they also leave their contribution to this anthropocentric perspective with their contribution to studies of anticoagulant drugs. According to a report published by G1[1], the anticoagulant substances found in your saliva have important properties for these clinical studies.
For the avoidance of doubt, we leave this video here explaining what bats eat:
cute bats
Now, let's go as promised! Take a look at our selection of cute bat photos and try not to be sympathetic to any of them:
The bats at Tolga Bat Hospital
It is difficult to choose just one photo from the Tolga Bat Hospital collection in Atherton, Australia. This veterinary center specializing in bat care has absolutely adorable photographic records of bats and their care routine:
Proof that fluffy bats and conscious humans can live in harmony:
Honduran white bat
the species Ectophylla alba enters our list of cute bats because it calls attention to breaking the stereotype of the black bat. Yes, this frugivorous species is white with yellow snout and found only in Central America.
O Micropteropus pusillus looks like a flying mouse
It is this fruit species found in Ethiopia and other parts of west, southwest and central Africa that is known as the 'flying mouse' for its size and similarity.
fluffy bat eating watermelon
Because it doesn't hurt to remember that fruit species play a very important role in nature related to seed dispersal. In this case, the fluffy bat is clearly not in the wild, but the reminder remains!
fluffy bat yawning
Bats are nocturnal animals and most of them sleep during the day. Some species can even spend up to 3 months sleeping to save energy.
Acerdon celebensis, the 'flying fox'
Despite being nicknamed the flying fox (Sulawesi flying fox), this is a fruit-eating bat species endemic in Indonesia that is unfortunately vulnerable, according to the Red List of Endangered Species. This type of bat feeds on fruits like como and breadfruit.
A 'flying fox' cub
The 'flying foxes' are a huge hit on the internet. This photo, for example, went viral on Reddit. What we see is a fluffy bat chick of the species mentioned earlier.
fluffy bat pollinator
The image is self-explanatory. This click of the working moment of a pollinating bat is a portrait of one of their functions in nature.
Otonycteris hemprichii, the Sahara's Eared Bat
This species draws attention not only for its ears, but for being an inhabitant of one of the most inhospitable areas in the world: the Sahara. That's where this little bat feeds on insects like poisonous scorpions.
Bats are wild animals
Just in case, know that bats are wild animals and cannot be raised at home. In addition to the risk of contamination, already explained, bats in Brazil are protected by the Fauna Protection Law[2], what makes your hunting or destruction, crime.
If you want to read more articles similar to Cute bats: photos and trivia, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.