Page 110 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

110 ATLAS OF THE WORLD’S STRANGEST ANIMALS

Adult brown bats may be big, but their young are small and This means that bat mothers have to be especially vigilant
extremely vulnerable to attack from predators like owls. when re-entering the maternity roost after a feeding trip.

Big brown bat habitats Big brown bats are one of North America’s most
widespead bat species. Populations of these furry fliers
are believed to occupy 48 American states, as well as parts
of northern Canada, Mexico, Central America and some
Caribbean islands.While many species of bat are struggling
to survive, these big bats have proved to be extremely
adaptable.They prefer wet woodlands but can withstand a
variety of conditions, as long as there’s an abundance of
insect life.Trees are favourite roosts, and bats are especially
welcome guests on farms, as a single colony can eat up to
33 million root worms each summer!
Once winter arrives and food becomes scarce, many
mammals hibernate. By lowering their metabolism –
reducing their body temperature and slowing their
breathing – they are able to enter a sleeplike state, which
conserves energy. In warmer areas, large brown bats have
no need to hibernate, but those that live in cooler climates
spend December to April holed up in their roosts until
spring. Even though they mate in the autumn, female bats
postpone gestation during these harsh winter months.
Worldwide, there are 1100 species of bat.These strange Using a physical adaptation called delayed implantation,
mammals may look like rodents, but gene sequencing they ensure that their young are born only once warm
places them in the scientific ‘super group’ Laurasiatheria. weather, and a good food supply, is assured.
This group includes animals such as pangolins, hoofed
mammals and whales, which are all believed to have Strange sounds
evolved in Laurasia – the northern ‘slice’ of the great super One of the keys to the success of the big brown bats is
continent, Pangaea.The oldest identified bat fossils date their ability to navigate and hunt in the dark.
from the early Eocene Period, 59–34 million years ago, Despite the well-known saying ‘as blind as a bat’, these
which is the same time that the ancestors of most modern flying mammals aren’t really blind. Many see quite well
mammals appeared. and have excellent hearing, but some species rely on

(c) 2011 Marshall Cavendish. All Rights Reserved.