BAT FACTS
cool There are nearly 1000 species of bats worldwide, making the order, Chiroptera, the second most diverse order of mammals (Second to the rodents).
cool Bats are not flying rodents. All bats belong to the order Chiroptera, which is divided into 2 groups: Megachiroptera (Megabats) which include all big fruit bats and flying foxes, and Microchiroptera (Microbats) which are the small echolocating bats.
cool The name "Chiroptera" is Latin for "hand wing," which describes the nature of the wing. A bat's wing is composed of the same bones as our hands, they are just elongated digits.
cool Bats are found in nearly every biome (desert, tundra, temperate forests, tropical rainforests, etc) and on every continent except Antarctica.
cool Different species eat different things. Some of the various foods consumed by bats are insects, fruit, pollen, nectar, frogs, fish, and blood.
cool Vampire bats are the only bats that consume blood and these bats are only found in Mexico and South and Central America.
cool The saliva in Vampire bats contains an anticoagulant (prevents blood from clotting) and this enzyme, Draculin, is now being used to develop medication for stroke victims.
cool Pollen, nectar, and fruit eating bats play a huge role in pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. Figs are dispersed mainly by bats, and the agave plant is pollinated by bats (the source of Tequila).
cool Insectivorous bats help keep crop pest populations down. A pregnant female can eat her body weight in insects every night.
cool Bats are not blind. In fact they can see better than we can in the dark.
cool Bats do not build nests, so they don't have any need to attack your hair for nesting materials.
cool Bats are the only true flying mammal. Flying squirrels, lemurs, and sugar gliders glide on currents of air, but cannot fly.
cool Yes, some bats have rabies, but it is estimated that only 0.5% of wild bats carry the disease. However, should you encounter a bat, it is best that you not touch it. There may only be a slim chance the bat has rabies, but the disease is 100% deadly and you don't want to take any chances.
cool Temperate bats mate in the fall, but don't become pregnant until spring. After mating, the female stores the sperm in her uterus and then goes into hibernation. When she arouses in the spring, the sperm is released and the egg fertilized. By the time she migrates back to her summer roost, she's pregnant and nearly ready to give birth.
The Little Brown Bat
The Northern Long-eared Bat
The Endangered Indiana Bat 
Albino Free-tailed Bat
Pallid Bat
Baby Little Brown Bat
Townsend's Big-eared Bat
Honduran White Bats
Gambian Epauletted Fruit Bats
Silver-haired Bat
Red Bat
Hoary Bat
Malayan Flying Fox
Ghost-faced Bat 
