#batsareawesome

So, why do I love bats, and why should you love bats too? Essentially, I’ve narrowed it down to three very good reasons: they are beautiful, they are bizarre, and they are beneficial. Let’s start with beauty. Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So, I challenge you to open our mind and behold their beauty! Personally, I think the northern ghost bat (Diclidurus albus), with its pure white fur and beady black eyes, is a true thing of beauty. And, the pied bat (Niumbaha superba), with cream colored stripes and patches of fur that contrast beautifully against its coal black primary coloration, is one of the most stunning creatures on the planet! Anyway, all bats are beautiful in their own unique way and I hope that you take the time to seek out their beauty for yourself.

Now let’s talk about the bizarre. We humans love everything bizarre, that’s what keeps life interesting, right? Every species of bat is unique in some bizarre way, what’s not to love about that! For instance, the tube-lipped nectar bat (Anoura fistulata) has a tongue that is 150% the size of its overall body length, making it the longest tongue relative to body size of any mammal! And, the long-crested free-tailed bat (Chaerephon chapini) is named for the distinctive half-inch crest of hair between its ears that looks exactly like a Mohawk! It’s true, bats are bizarre and come in all shapes and sizes. So, take some time to educate yourself about bats and you may stumble upon something seemingly too weird to be true, yet that it is!

I’m a bat lover, and I’ve always been a bat lover. I mean, how can you not love those cute balls of fur with little sharp teeth, leathery wings and bizarre sensory organs? Unfortunately, bat lovers like myself seem to be a minority among the general populace. In fact, whenever I post a picture of a bat on Facebook, I overwhelmingly receive more negative comments than positive. Comments such as: “dislike”, “that’s ugly” and “why do you post those horrific images?” So, why do I post those horrific images? Why do I love bats? Why should you love bats too? My love for bats is a matter that I’ve never questioned. Doesn’t it just seem natural for a man who loves bizarre mammals and Hammer films to inherently hold a deep appreciation for bats? I think so. But, there’s more to it than that. More that I recently discovered while visiting the beautiful country of Costa Rica.

The tiny nation of Costa Rica is home to 240 species of mammals, 109 of which are bats. While Costa Rica comprises only one-fifth of one percent of the Earth’s total landmass, it is home to roughly 12% of the world’s bat species - making it one of the most bat diverse specks of land on the planet! I wasn’t aware of any of this until my Global Field Program grad studies group was introduced to the eminent bat biologist and conservationist, Dr. Richard LaVal. Dr. LaVal initially entertained us with an intriguing lecture on bat diversity, introducing us to a wide assortment of bats via power point and streaming video. He introduced us to bats that feed on nectar (nectarivores), bats that feed on fruit (frugivores), bats that feed on insects (insectivores), bats that feed on fish (piscivores), bats that feed on other bats (carnivores), and bats that feed on blood (sanguinivores). Later, after dark, Dr. LaVal allowed us to get close and personal with some Costa Rican bats. In fact, I was able to get much closer and more personal with bats than I’ve ever been before, and it was absolutely fascinating. Dr. LaVal, like most bat specialists, uses mist nets to capture and survey bats. However, unlike most other specialists (I assume), Dr. LaVal temporarily contains the bats he captures in little cloth sacks that he ties around his waist. From these sacks he pulls each bat out for close examination, often allowing the fussiest to climb around his torso and gnaw on his exposed skin and clothing. This night we were allowed to closely examine five different Costa Rican bat species. While we were not allowed to hold the bats ourselves, we were allowed to gently touch the soft suede of their leathery wings and the fine velour of their furry little bodies. My mind nearly exploded with curiosity and jubilation!