Bats have a bad reputation, especially around Halloween. They are often associated with vampires, darkness, and horror.
But are these flying mammals as scary as they seem? A wildlife biologist from the University of Maryland says no.
She argues that bats are fascinating, beneficial, and misunderstood creatures that deserve our respect and appreciation.
Bats are diverse, specialized, and important for the ecosystem
JORGE GUERRERO/AFP via Getty Images
Shannon Browne, Ph.D., is a bat expert and lecturer in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology at the University of Maryland.
She has been studying bat populations in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Delaware for her doctoral dissertation.
She discovered that suburban neighborhoods are the favored spots for some of Maryland's vulnerable bat species, especially during fall mating season.
Browne said that bats are not only interesting to study but also essential for the environment. She also explained that bats provide insect control, pollination, and seed dispersal services that are worth billions of dollars to humans every year.
Bats are also very diverse and specialized animals, according to Browne. She said that there are more than 1,400 bat species in the world, each with its adaptations and preferences.
For example, some bats have long tongues to sip nectar from flowers, while others have sharp teeth to crack nuts or catch fish. Some bats can fly up to 60 miles per hour, while others can hover like hummingbirds.
Only three bat species are vampire bats, and they do not live in Maryland. Instead, they prefer the warm, humid climates of Central and South America, and their main food sources are large, domestic animals like cattle, horses, and pigs.
Browne describes vampire bats as "super cool and very specialized," sayingthat they have special grooves in their teeth that create a small nick in the skin. Their saliva has an enzyme that allows blood to continue flowing instead of clotting.
Research on these palm-sized bats could help lead to treatments for strokes and other human diseases.
Another common myth about bats is that they are blind. Browne says that this is not true, but their eyesight is limited mostly due to the size of their eyes.
She said that any animal with small eyes has poor eyesight, as vision capability is greatly influenced by eye size.
However, bats have a remarkable ability to navigate and hunt using echolocation. They emit high-frequency sounds that bounce off objects and return to their ears as echoes.
By analyzing these echoes, bats can determine the size, shape, distance, and movement of their surroundings and prey.
Echolocation is not unique to bats, but they are the only mammals that use it for hunting. Other animals that use echolocation include dolphins, whales, and some birds.
The expert also dispeled the notion that bats are spooky or sinister creatures that haunt the night sky. She said that bats are very social and intelligent animals that form strong bonds with their mates and offspring. Some bat species even sing to each other or share food.
Browne further said that bats are not aggressive or harmful to humans either. They usually avoid contact with people and only bite when threatened or handled.
However, she advised people to never touch a bat without gloves or professional assistance.
Furthermore, Browne said that bats do not carry more diseases than other animals.
She acknowledged that some bat species can carry rabies or other viruses, but the risk of transmission to humans is very low, and that most bat diseases are caused by human activities that disturb or destroy their habitats.
She concluded by saying that bats are amazing animals that deserve respect and admiration. She says that they are not blind, bloodthirsty, or spooky. They are beautiful, beneficial, and misunderstood.
