Content
- Characteristics of bats
- Where do bats like to stay?
- How do bats see?
- Are bats blind?
- Bats that feed on blood
There is a popular belief that bats are blind, due to its enviable ability to move, through the echolocation, which allows them a perfect orientation even at night. However, is it true that bats are blind? The sense of sight of these winged mammals is different from that of humans, and they have other abilities that allow them to survive very efficiently.
Want to know how bats see? In this article by PeritoAnimal we will talk in depth about their vision and the incredible abilities of these animals. Good reading!
Characteristics of bats
There are more than a thousand species of bats in the world, all with unique features. However, these species share certain attributes, such as their size, which can vary. between 30 and 35 centimeters long, and its weight, which in general does not exceed 100 grams. However, there are some exceptions, such as the Philippine golden bat (Acerodon jubatus), which can reach 1.5 meters in length, and the flying fox (Pteropus giganteus), which lives in Asia and Oceania and can reach almost 2 meters in wingspan.
Bats' bodies are covered with short fur that helps them withstand low temperatures. Furthermore, the front fingers of these animals are attached to a very thin membrane that allows them to fly easily.
Feeding varies from species to species. Some types of bats only eat fruit, while others prefer insects, small amphibians, mammals, birds, and some feed on blood.
Where do bats like to stay?
You bats live anywhere, except in areas where temperatures are very low. The most common is to find them in tropical and temperate environments, where they settle in trees and caves, although they also take refuge in the cracks in the walls and in hollow trunks.
If you're afraid of them, in this article you'll find out how to scare away bats.
How do bats see?
Bats have one of nature's most impressive communication systems. They have an ability called echolocation, which allows them to visualize different objects thanks to low frequency sounds. The mechanism of echolocation is complex. What is observed is that bats are able to differentiate between input and output signals. As a result, they send and receive information simultaneously, as when a person hears their own voice through an echo.
How do bats see? To a large extent, through this echolocation system, which is only possible thanks to several anatomical adaptations located in the ears and larynx, to which we add the extraordinary spatial orientation that has. The animal emits an ultrasound that originates in the larynx and is expelled through the nose or snout. The ears then pick up the sound waves that bounce off the surrounding objects and, thus, the bat orients itself.
There are several types of echolocation, but bats use high cycle echolocation: it allows obtaining information about the movement and location of prey. They emit this sound continuously while listening to the frequency of the echo they receive.
Despite this great ability, there are insects that have developed adaptations that make it difficult for their predators to locate them, since they are even capable of canceling ultrasound and not producing echoes. Others are able to generate your own ultrasounds to confuse these flying mammals.
Are bats blind?
Despite the stories and myths about bats and their blindness, be aware that no, these mammals are not blind. On the contrary, they can see even better than other mammals, although they don't surpass the human ability to see.
However, they are the only mammals able to see polarized sunlight and to use it for one's own orientation. In addition, the vision of these animals allows them to fly long distances and orientate themselves, since it is impossible to use echolocation for this purpose, so much so that they only use it to travel short distances in the dark.
In the past, it was believed that the eyes of bats only have rods, which are photoreceptor cells that allow them to see in the dark. It is now known that, despite the small size of their eyes, they also have cones, which demonstrates that they have the ability to see during the day. Still, this doesn't detract from your nightlife style, as bats are sensitive to changes in light levels.
Have you ever heard the expression "blind as a bat"? Yeah, now you know she's wrong, because bats aren't blind and depend as much on your eyes as on the echolocation to orient themselves and understand what is going on around them.
Bats that feed on blood
Bats are historically associated with horror and suspense legends. Many people believe that all mammal species feed on blood, which is not true. In Brazil, of the 178 known species, only three feed on blood..
These species that need blood to survive are popularly known as vampire bats: common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), white-winged vampire bat (diaemus youngi) and furry-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata).
The targets of bats are usually cattle, pigs, horses and birds. Man is not considered a natural prey of vampire bats, but there are reports of attacks mainly in rural areas. Another common concern about bats is that they are transmitters of rabies - but it is noteworthy that any infected mammal can transmit the disease, and not just bats.
Bats also play an important role in the maintenance and balance of ecosystems as they mostly feed on fruits and insects. This makes them important. allies in combating urban and agricultural pests. As many also feed on nectar and pollen, they help pollinate different species of flowers, a function very similar to that of bees and birds.
And from the saliva of these flying mammals, new studies and drugs have emerged because it is rich in anticoagulant substances. Some researchers believe that bats can also help in the development of drugs to treat thrombosis and other health problems in people who have suffered strokes.[1].
If you want to know even more about these mammals, read this other article from PeritoAnimal types of bats and their characteristics.
And since we're talking about their feeding, you can check out in this video on PeritoAnimal's channel the different types of bat feeding: