The Bat. The Body of a Bat

Bat is the only mammal that can fly. Bats have a furry body, and their wings are covered by smooth, flexible skin. Most species of bats live in attics, caves, or other sheltered places. Some species live in trees. Bats seem uncommon in many regions because they roost in dark places and come out only at night, when most people are asleep. Bats hang upside down when they are resting.

There are more than 900 species of bats. Bats live in all parts of the world except Antarctica and the Arctic. Most kinds make their home in the tropics, where they can find food the year around. About40 species of bats live in Canada and the United States.

Through the centuries, people have passed on many superstitions and mistaken ideas about bats. For example, the expression "blind as a bat" is false. All species of bats can see, probably about as well as human beings. The beliefs that bats carry bedbugs and get tangled in peoples hair are also untrue. Bats tend to be timid. At night, they will try to fly out a window if they find them-selves in a room.

Many people in Western countries fear bats, but these animals are well liked in China and Japan. A number of Oriental artists have portrayed bats as signs of good luck, happiness, and long life.

Most bats are harmless to people. But bats may have rabies. For this reason, bats should not be handled.

Bats perform a valuable service for people by eating large numbers of insects. In addition, hat guano (manure) has commercial value as fertilizer. Some caves have been the home of bats since prehistoric times and have large deposits of guano.

The sight of a flying bat frightens many people unnecessarily. Bats do little harm to people or to crops and livestock. These expert fliers even help people by catching and eating large numbers of destructive insects

The body of a bat. Bats vary in appearance and size, depending on the species. Bats that live in the open may have bright colors and markings. Those that live in dark, sheltered areas have black, brown, gray, red, or yellow fur.

The largest bats, called flying foxes, have a wingspan of more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) and a body about the size of a pigeons. The Kitti’s hog-nosed bat of Thailand, the smallest species, is about the size of a bumble bee and weighs only about – 1/14 ounce (2 grams). It is one of the smallest known mammals in the world. Many common North American bats have a wingspan of about 12 inches (30 centimeters) and weigh from 1/6 to 2/3 ounce (5 to 19 grams).

The skeleton of a bat resembles that of other mammals. Like many other mammals, a bat has hands with fingers and feet with toes. A bat's breathing rate, heartbeat, and body temperature, unlike those of many other mammals, vary greatly, depending on its activities and the temperature of its surroundings. Among some species, the temperature of a resting bat becomes the same as that of its environment.

The skeleton of a bat

Head. The face and head of bats vary greatly among the various species. Some bats have a head shaped like that of a miniature bear or dog. Other bats have a flatter face. Some species have folds of skin called a nose-leaf on their snout. The nose-leaf may look like a spearhead or a blade. Bats have a good sense of smell that helps them find food and their roost.

Most bats have small, sharp teeth that reduce food to a soupy texture. Bats digest their food more quickly than many other mammals. This rapid digestion helps them avoid having extra weight while flying.

Wings and legs. A bat's hands serve as its wings. Its long fingers support the flexible skin of the wings. The upper arm, forearm, and second and third fingers make up the front edge of the wing. The fourth and fifth fingers help support the wing. The inner edge of the wing extends down the side of the body and along the leg to the ankle and foot.

The length of a bat's wings varies from species to species. The swiftest species of bats have long, narrow wings. Some species, which can hover in one place, have short, broad wings. Some bats can fly as fast as 15 miles (24 kilometers) per hour, but most of them travel from 5 to 8 miles (8 to 13 kilometers) per hour.

Bats have weak legs. Many species have a tail and a membrane between their legs. Some fold up their wings and use their arms and legs to walk. But a number of species do not walk at all. They use their legs simply to hang from their roost. Each foot has five toes with semicircular pointed claws that enable the animal to hang securely from twigs and rocks.