September 2000, Our Visit to the Austin Zoo
Bat Challenge Answer 2
September 2000, Our Visit to the Austin Zoo
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You Are Right! The bumblebee bat of Thailand is the world's smallest mammal. This tiny bat weighs less than a penny.
Almost one out of every four mammals is a bat. The bumblebee bat of Thailand is the world's smallest mammal. This tiny bat weighs less than a penny. Some bats are very large, with wingspans of almost six feet. These bats live in Indonesia and are name Giant Flying Foxes. Most bats, such as the Mexican Free-Tailed Bats, eat insects. Up to 1,200 mosquitoes can be eaten in one hour by some bats. A few bats drink flower juices, while tropical bats eat fruit. The Mexican Free-Tailed Bat lives an average of 11 years. The Mexican Free-Tailed Bat flies higher than any other bat. The Mexican Free-Tailed flies very fast, up to 60 mph. The Mexican Free-Tailed Bat lives in the largest mammal colonies. In 1995, Texas named the free-tailed bat as the official flying mammal. Over one half of the bats at the Congress Bridge are babies. Three things can effect the bat emergence from under the bridge:
The bats' flight was affected one night when a large group of visitors began to cheer them on. The bats doubled back around to re-enter their hideaway in the bridge. Fortunately, the bats are very adaptive and have not been upset again by their adoring fans. There are 31 different species of bats here in Texas. Austin, San Antonio and the surrounding Hill Country support the largest populations of bats in America. It is estimated that 100 million (100,000,000) free-tailed bats live in Texas. An estimated 20 to 40 million (20,000,000 to 40,000,000) free-tailed bats live in Bracken Cave, near San Antonio. The Congress Bridge is the home of the largest urban bat colony in the world. The Hill Country offers lots of caves and bridges that are perfect roosting places for bats. Bats are very intelligent. Bats are not blind and they do not get tangled in your hair. Only 70% of bats echolocate, or have a radar sensing device. These bats have certain facial characteristics and are capable of making and hearing certain sounds. In echolocation, a bat sends out a sound and listens for the sound to bounce off certain objects. Even the bats that have a radar sense can see. Echolocating bats make different noises for communicating with its colony members. The drought has had some affect on the bats: they now leave earlier and return later in their quest for food. The bats will travel as long as necessary to forage for their dinners. The only bats who actually suffer as a result of the drought are those in poor health. Bats have several different enemies: Hawks, Falcons, Owls, Snakes, Skunks, Possums and Raccoons. Humans are by far the bats number one enemy. Caves are vandalized, old forest trees are cut down and old buildings are torn down. Each of these places is a potential home for a bat. Farmers in Mexico have even burned many cave homes of the bats, to prevent them from returning. Without much needed home spaces, the bat could disappear. In the absence of the bat, these areas could be over run with harmful insects. Only one half percent of all bats carry rabies. It is very rare for a human to be bitten by a bat and not know it. If you do come into contact with a bat, seek medical advice immediately. If you are bitten by any animals, you should always be medically evaluated immediately. (Keep an eye on the bat and do not allow others to touch it.) DO NOT HANDLE BATS on the ground, they are usually ill. Bee stings, which can be deadly to humans, are far more numerous than bat bites. If you find a bat in your home, BCI offers many EASY, SAFE tips for removing your unwanted guest. The chemicals that are used to kill bats, actually can make people sick. The chemicals can fall down from attics through the ventilation system and rafters into the air you breathe. Easy, inexpensive, one-way valves are the key to excluding bats from buildings. Bat houses may also help to keep the bats out of your home. See www.batcon.org for BCI's instructions. Over 50% of the species of bats in the United States are endangered or are on a watch list. Even our free-tailed bat numbers are dropping. Bats populations grow very slowly, slower than any other mammal of their size. This makes extinction a big threat, even though it seems there are large numbers of bats. Only one half of all bat babies reach adulthood. One way BCI is helping to protect bats is to give them new homes. Working with government agencies throughout the nation, BCI is studying ways to build more bat friendly bridges. Bat friendly bridges are no more expensive than a regular bridge in most cases. The environmental gains are enormous.
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