Bats

Bats are not blind They can also "see" in the dark by listening to the echoes of their high frequency calls With this sophisticated sonar system, called "echolocation" they can pick up insects as tiny as mosquitoes They also have good steering - they won't get caught in your hair! Bats' wings are giant hands, with skin stretching between elongated fingers Bats do not build nests; they hang up or creep into cracks and crannies …

…foods - fruit, flowers, frogs, fish, blood, even bats! Bats are vital to rainforests, as many trees need bats for pollination and seed dispersal Valuable foods and derivatives from bat-adapted plants include dates, vanilla, bananas, breadfruit, guavas, kapok, Iroko timber, balsa wood, sisal - even Tequila and chewing gum! Bat populations are threatened not only by loss of habitat, affecting roosting sites and feeding grounds, but also by deliberate killing and over-exploitation for food --------------------------------------------------------------------------------