How bats are born. Is a bat a bird or an animal? Types of bats and their characteristics

Many are afraid bats. Probably because they know little about them. These are the only representatives of mammals that can fly. Today on our website there are bats and interesting facts about them.

Flying chiropteran mammals

On our planet, 25% of all animals, one way or another, can fly. There are animals such as flying mice. These unusual animals are divided into 985 species, which is 23% of all mammal species on the planet.

Unfortunately, many species of these animals are disappearing and simply becoming extinct. They appeared on the planet about 65 million years ago and are considered one of the most ancient. Over time, bats developed special membranes, thanks to which wings appeared.

If we talk about their characteristics, their body length is 4 centimeters, they weigh up to 900 grams and have a wingspan of up to 150 centimeters.

Chiropteran habitats

These animals, which amaze with their unusual and terrifying appearance, live throughout the planet except the Arctic and Antarctica.

Horseshoe bats

This type is considered the most common. It can be found in many European countries where there is a temperate climate. There are about 50 species here.

Nightwomen

These bats are also quite common and have about 70 species. Among the many species, only one species spreads beyond the Arctic Circle.

Noctule - because it flies exclusively at night

When and how did bats begin to fly?

Thanks to a change in one gene, bats gained the ability to fly. Due to the growth of their fingers, wings appeared. It is known that they first took to the air many millions of years ago.

Which bat the smallest?

The hog-nosed bat lives primarily in Thailand. It is only 3 centimeters long and weighs 2 grams.

The biggest bat

South American large false vampire, it is also called the Australian magaderma. It is considered the largest bat and has the following characteristics: weight 100 grams, wingspan 50 centimeters. Lives mainly in Europe. The false vampire weighs about 200 grams and has a body length of 135 centimeters. The wingspan of this mouse is up to 1.8 meters.

Naked mice

Bats having this unusual name consist of 2 types. Live in Southeast Asia and the Philippines. They are completely hairless. The largest representative of this breed is the flying fox or Javan kalong, which weighs about 1 kilogram, has a body length of 40 centimeters and a wingspan of 1.5 meters.

The smelliest bats ever recorded

Malayan hairless bulldog bats have set a unique record for unpleasant smell. Their pungent stench is reminiscent of the smell of a person who has not washed for a long time. This species has no color vision. Divided into subspecies:

Yellow-winged false vampire
African mouse eptesicus
Case-tailed bats

So, the most interesting thing about bats

Today, bats are highly diverse and make up about 20% of all living mammals.
It has been noticed that when a bat flies out of a cave, it always flies to the left.
There are only two species of mammals on the planet that use echolocation. This is a bat too.

Listen to the voice of the bat

Another interesting fact is that a bat is able to distinguish an oak from a pine.
They produce their piercing cry using the larynx.
The flight speed of these animals is about 50 kilometers per hour.
As a rule, they hunt at night, but there is a species that is active during the day. It's called the yellow-winged false vampire.
They have the ability to run on the ground.
It has also been noted that they are not afraid of water and can eat about 700 mosquitoes in an hour.
They feed on various insects and these mice can even eat a scorpion.
They have very small teeth because they swallow their prey completely without chewing it.
Another interesting fact is that if they do not receive a portion of blood within two days, they die. Therefore, there are numerous cases when they attack a sleeping person and bite him on the head, neck or leg.
They also hunt sleeping animals.
There is a known case in which 11 children from Peru were bitten by bats. After which they developed rabies and died.
One bat can drink a whole plate of blood in 20 minutes.
They live in flocks and fly south.
They have a fairly long lifespan, up to about 18 years.
In some countries they are used as food.
Capable of concentrating a large dose of radiation. Such a case was identified near Lake Alakul in the Chelyabinsk region.
In most cases, bat bites are not fatal, but very painful.

Bat- This animal, which belongs to the order of placental mammals, the species Chiroptera. This is the only animal on our planet that can fly.

Many people often think that since an individual has wings and is able to move through the air, it means it is a bird, but bats this does not apply and they are representatives of the animal world. The homeland of bats is Central America. They live here groups of bats feeding on flesh and blood.

This is why bats are associated in people's minds with vampires. On the territory of our country, flying rodents - leatherbacks and leaf-noses - have found refuge. You can meet a bat or a long-eared bat in your native lands.

In the photo there is a large long-eared bat

Bats do not tolerate harsh Russian winters well and therefore, from areas where frosts are severe and prolonged, they fly to places where the climate is milder - its southern provinces or to the territory of the Primorsky Territory.

Representatives of the order Chiroptera are not large in size. It is rare to find an exotic species, for example, a false vampire, which reaches 40-50 cm in size, but more often these are animals the size of a sparrow - from 3-10 cm.

By the way, the indicated species of bat in fact, the largest of the order Chiroptera, its wingspan is 80 cm, and its weight is more than 200 grams. The fur of bats is very soft and quite thick, painted on the animal’s abdomen in lighter gray tones and at the same time covers the entire body of the animal, except for the wings.

The color scheme of mice is quite monotonous and can be either gray, the color of a mouse, or brown. The structure of the face resembles a smaller copy of a pig's snout with some elements of a mouse's face.

Many representatives have on their heads huge ears, like a hare, and on the nose there is a horn that resembles the nasal process of a rhinoceros. Nature has transformed the front legs of bats into a kind of wings. Very interesting structure have the forelimbs of chiropterans.

One finger of the animal, located on the forelimb, ends in a sharp, curved claw. Their so-called “hands” are designed in such a way that they start from the hind limbs, reach the forearm, and smoothly turn into elongated fingers - this is a kind of rigid frame on which a leather membrane is stretched.

The photo shows a bat in flight

The membrane serves as a wing for the flying animal. When it's cold, mice wrap themselves in an elastic membrane, like a cape. Membranous wings serve as a flight device. The wings always move synchronously with the limbs located behind.

Average speed The speed that flying animals are capable of developing can range from 20 to 40 km/hour. Flying animals are very nimble, and given that they sometimes move in complete darkness, the question involuntarily arises: “How do they do it?”

Experts say that these creatures see very poorly, and their picture is black and white, and echolocation allows them to quickly navigate in the dark - ultrasonic impulses reflected from objects are caught by the ears of mice and they do not crash into obstacles.

Character and lifestyle

Bats live in places where little daylight penetrates. These animals settle in large groups, sometimes the number of such settlements can reach more than one thousand copies.

The photo shows a group of bats in a cave

Their home is dark, damp caves and hollows located in tree trunks. large trees, abandoned basements, in general, all places where you can hide from prying eyes. Bats are sleeping, hanging upside down, and wrapped in wings like a blanket. With the onset of dusk, the animals go hunting.

It should be noted that the bat not only moves well in the air, but also perfectly climbs steep surfaces, like an experienced rock climber, and can also move quite well on the ground, and if necessary, it can hover over water for a while in order to catch it from there. fish delicacy. When mice fly, they always scream loudly. The sound intensity of a mouse squeak is comparable to the noise of an engine. jet plane.

If people could detect ultrasonic waves, then bearing the cries of flying creatures would not be difficult, but simply unbearable. The scream stops only for a few seconds, while it swallows the caught prey. Bats spend the winter hibernating, and those who do not like to hibernate in harsh conditions, flies away to warm regions.

In the photo the bat is sleeping

Nowadays, you can often meet people who like to keep exotic animals at home. By price, Certainly, bat Suitable for many average citizens, the conditions of detention and food for the animal can cost a pretty penny.

In addition, people need to know that if they decide buy a bat, then you shouldn’t expect this animal to become a quiet pet.

In addition, creating acceptable living conditions is not very easy, the same can be said about the diet, because mice do not eat everything, but only what they like.

Bat feeding

Bats feed mainly on insects, although some species prefer fruit menu, flower nectar.

Among the representatives there are also species related to carnivores. They are not found here, but in Mexico and the south of Argentina they live - “vampires” who prefer to feast on warm blood or small animals for lunch.

They plunge their sharp teeth into the victim's body, inject a special substance that prevents blood from clotting, and lick it from the wound. True, they do not drink all the blood, although they can “suck” for several hours. In nature there are species that feed. There are only two of these types. Fishing bats can catch fish larger than themselves.

Reproduction and lifespan of a bat

Married couples bats do not form. They often change partners, and mating very often occurs in the winter quarters during hibernation. The half-asleep male crawls up to the female, the one who is closest to him, does his manly business and returns to his previous place to watch the erotic dream.

In the photo there is a vampire bat

Animals from the order Chiroptera that live here give birth to offspring once a year. And in tropical climate bats give birth to babies all year round. As a rule, one blind naked mouse is born, rarely two; only representatives of this genus living in Canada can reproduce 3-4 babies at once. Bats feed their young with mother's milk. After a month, the grown-up mice are able to lead an independent life.

In the photo, the female bat changed her position to give birth to her baby

An interesting observation: representatives of an insectivorous species are able to find their cub, returning from a hunt, among a huge crowd of relatives and are never mistaken. The life expectancy of bats by animal standards is an average of 7 to 10 years. However, experts say that there are individuals that can live for a quarter of a century.

Few people are familiar with smooth-nosed bats, since our area is inhabited by common nocturnal fliers. Common bats inhabit not only forests, but also settlements. Very often they become neighbors of people in the literal sense of the word - they settle in basements or attics of houses.

As a rule, a person sees these animals for the first time and becomes very frightened. The reason for this is the many myths about the vampirism of bats, widely spread in works of literature and cinema. In fact, the animals are practically safe for people.

Discreet looking bats

Smooth-nosed bats belong to the order Chiroptera of the mammal family, but are distinguished by the fact that they do not have any striking features. They have a smooth muzzle without the presence of cutaneous-cartilaginous outgrowths found in other species of bats. Only the Australian and New Guinea smoothnose have a vestigial nasal leaf.

Among the bats greatest number species of smooth-nosed animals. To be precise, there are more than 317 species, which are grouped into 35 genera and 5 subfamilies.

Let's look at their features:

Small and medium-sized individuals have a body length from 3.2 cm to 10.5 cm, a wingspan ranging from 17-50 cm, and a weight of 5-76 g.
The color of the animals can be one-color, two-color, or even three-color. The color of the most common flying mammals is mainly gray, black and brown. Specimens of bright red, golden yellow and white colors are less common. In bicolor mice, the belly is lighter in color than the back. The tricolor bat has a contrasting pattern of white spots on its body.
The animals' fur is very thick.
As a rule, all smoothnoses have small eyes.
The ears come in various sizes and shapes, but are always tragus.
The animals have a tail, the length of which can vary from 2.5 cm to 7.5 cm. It can be completely enclosed in the interfemoral membrane or protrude from it by one or two vertebrae. In the physiological position, the tail turns towards the belly of the mouse.
All representatives of smooth-nosed bats have a very well developed mechanism of ultrasonic location, which is also called echolocation. The essence of this mechanism is that individuals constantly emit an ultrasonic squeak, which is reflected from objects and picked up by the mammal’s ear. The chiropteran's inner ear processes sounds, and this is how it orients itself in space. The distance to objects and other animals is measured by the mouse by the time the ear receives the reflected sound. The faster the sound is reflected, the closer the obstacle or prey is.
Some species of smooth-nosed bats have suction disks on the soles of their hind legs.
On the cheeks or wings of animals there are odorous skin glands.
The female bats feed their young with milk. For this she has 2 nipples. Only one species of smoothnose, the hairy-tailed one, has 4 nipples.
They have insectivorous teeth from 28 to 38 pieces.

The most interesting and widespread species include noctule bats and horseshoe bats.

Representative of the Red Book

We will talk about the giant noctule, which, due to its small numbers, is listed in the Red Book.

The noctule is the largest species of bat mammals in Europe. The body of the animal can have a length of up to 11 cm, and a weight of 40-80 g. During flight, the width of the wingspan reaches 40-45 cm - this is almost half a meter.

In our country, this type of mouse has quite a large range habitat. His northern border passes through the Moscow region, southern - Caucasus, eastern - Orenburg region. One individual is now found in 10 square meters. m. During flight, it reaches speeds of over 45 km/h. It features virtually silent flight.

The noctule has well-developed echolocation. She hunts all night - from dusk to early morning. The animal feeds on insects: beetles, grasshoppers and butterflies. Some animals of this species eat small birds - sparrows, starlings, etc. They do not cause harm to humans.

You can see it only during bright moonlit nights. It usually blends into the dark sky and is invisible to people. Prefers to sleep in tree hollows during the day. There can be several mice in one hollow. The giant noctule very often joins its smaller relatives - the rufous noctule. There are no conflicts between them.

Red Vegetarian

Rufous noctules are slightly smaller in size than their giant relatives. Their body length is about 8 cm. The color of the animal corresponds to its name. The body of the animal is reddish-brown in color, and the tummy is colored much lighter than other parts of the body. On the back this type bats have a chestnut tint. The flying “mantle” and bare parts of the ears are dark brown in color.

Experts recognize the rufous noctule not only by its color, but also by its very beautiful, almost perfect flight. This species of bat has narrow, long wings that are pointed at the ends. The animal flies easily, is capable of quickly making sudden turns, as well as rapid downward throws.

The red-headed noctule lives in the forest and forest-steppe zones. For nap selects hollows of trees, attics of houses, etc. As a rule, during the day the animals accumulate in large colonies. For the winter migrates to warm countries. It begins its flight to the south in early August. Returns from wintering in late March early August.

This species of bats goes hunting much earlier than its relatives. Sometimes you can see rufous noctules flying when the light is still bright.

The mammal hunts in two passes:

The first flight is made in the evening, without waiting for much darkness. After he is satisfied, he goes to rest.
Before sunrise he goes hunting for the second time.

The red bat feeds on insects. In addition to large beetles (mole crickets, dung beetles, May beetles) and butterflies in large quantities eats flies and mosquitoes.

This species of bats hunts near its daytime shelter. It looks for food on large edges and outskirts of the forest, above log houses and ponds.

How do they reproduce?

The mating season for the giant noctule takes place in the spring. Males call their mates with special mating calls, which are very similar to a specific whistle. The only cub is born after 75-80 days.

He spends the first days of his life on his mother, tightly clutching her belly. The female flies out to hunt with her cub. When the little mice grow up, they wait for their mother in the hollow. They grow very quickly.

The pregnancy of the rufous noctule lasts 70 days. She gives birth to two cubs. They hang on their mother for the first days after birth. During the first 10 days, the babies are covered with fluff and hang next to their mother in the same shelter. 20 days after birth, they are able to fly out of the shelter on their own.

Horseshoe for luck

Among bats, horseshoe bats stand out. They got their name because of the leathery, horseshoe-shaped growth on their nose, which is designed to transmit location signals. The horseshoe bat is very common. Scientists know more than 80 species of such mice. Only 5 species are found on the European continent. In Russia they are found only in the Caucasus.

The animal can have a body length from 5.2 cm to 7.1 cm, and is also quite long tail from 3.1 cm to 4.3 cm. The wingspan of the animal is 34-40 cm. The body weight of this species of bat is 13-27 grams. The smallest horseshoe bats weigh 3.6-8 grams. Today, the largest horseshoe bats are among the rarest bats in Central Europe.

The horseshoe bat has a resting feature that makes it unlike other bats - it sleeps wrapped in its wings, like in a blanket. In all other species of mammals, the wings are located along the body during sleep. The horseshoe bat is active only at night. This species flies out to hunt only half an hour after sunset.

In fact, the animal flies out of its shelter later than other types of bats, but differs in that it has permanent places feeding. Mammals feed on insects. He is very fond of mole crickets and beetles that live on heaps of humus. Like other species of mice, it catches prey with its teeth and helps itself with its forelimbs. He makes a kind of trap out of his wings.

The horseshoe bat eats small prey on the fly, and larger prey while hanging upside down on a branch. The nose is the most important organ of the animal's echolocation system. It emits ultrasonic signals through the nose. The special shape of the nose allows flying mammal make sounds not only during the flight, but even during the meal.

Nuances of behavior

Representative of smooth-nosed bats.

The animal produces high-frequency sounds using its nostrils. Therefore, the direction of sound also changes by moving the nostrils, and not by turning the head like other types of mice. The horseshoe bat has very good echolocation. He emits 10 ultra sound signals per second and not only perfectly navigates in the dark, but successfully hunts.

While other types of mice send up to 200 sound signals per second. In order to detect ultrasonic waves, the mouse moves its ears about 60 times per second. During a hunt, it can hover in place for a short period of time.

This species is found only in warm regions. Prefers open areas covered with sparse forests. In the summer, during the day, it rests in the attics of houses or in bell towers and storage facilities. A X. Flows into hibernation, for which he is looking for a cave or mine with an air temperature of approximately 7-10With and high humidity.

Features of reproduction

Representatives of the smooth-nosed family.

Males become sexually mature at 2 years of age, and females at 2-3 years of age. Females ready to mate form brood colonies. Males visit them in order to choose a partner. Mating occurs in the fall. Pregnancy lasts approximately 3 months. In general, the timing of pregnancy depends on air temperature - the higher the temperature, the faster the embryo develops.

Horseshoe bats only give birth to one heir. A completely naked and blind baby is born and grows very quickly. 22 days after birth, the mice are already flying. At the age of 30-40 days, they are able to feed independently and make long flights.

Bottom line

It can be summarized that common bats or, as they are also called, smooth-nosed bats are among the most common chiropterans.

In the process of their evolution they acquired perfect aircraft, which allows them to easily hunt insects. This brings great benefits to people. As a rule, they live in large colonies, consisting of one species or several.

Bats amazing mammals who have mastered the art of flight are found everywhere except in the polar regions and high mountains.

It is known that bats have lived on Earth for almost 50 million years. Scientists have found a nearly complete skeleton of a bat ancestor known as Icaronycteris, and dated the find to the Eocene period. These 8 cm long creatures are practically no different from modern bats, so zoologists have not been able to come to a definitive conclusion about their origin and, in particular, where they developed the ability to fly. It is believed, however, that bats evolved from tree-dwelling insectivores.

Appearance of bats

Despite the fact that bats differ greatly in size and appearance, it is clear from everything that they are bats and nothing else. The bat's body is covered with fur, which always has a lighter shade on the abdomen. The wingspan varies from 15 cm to almost 2 m, and what shapes do these wing arms take! However, no matter how long and narrow, no matter how short and wide, the wings of bats always have the same structure.

The forelimbs of the bat are very well developed; her short shoulders are strong, and her very long forearm is formed by just one radius bone. Thumb the forelimb ends in a hooked claw, and the other (very long) fingers support the membranes of the wings located on the sides. The shape of the body and the length of the tail depend on the individual’s belonging to a particular species. A bony projection called a spur helps many species spread their wings all the way to the tail.

Bats fly using membranous wings that move in sync with their hind limbs. The wings, the membranes of which are a double layer of skin, are equipped with muscles and elastic veins, which, at rest, press them tightly to the body.

Habits

Although bats are divided into many species and live in different natural conditions, their habits are surprisingly similar. Almost everyone leads night look life, and during the day they sleep, hanging upside down. Bats do not build nests.

Most bats live in groups; a solitary lifestyle is characteristic of only a few species.

In winter, mice hibernate in secluded places, and in the warm season they hide for mating and feeding their young. Bats most often live in caves, abandoned mines, crevices and hollow trees. They also quite like old houses. Large fruit-eating bats like to hang on tree branches.

During rest, the mouse thoroughly takes care of its appearance and carefully cleans its wings, chest, and abdomen.

The mobility of mice when they are not flying depends on the species: some are practically helpless and pitiful in their attempts to move, others, with their wings folded, climb quite well and can even start skipping, and some species like to sway, groping for a more comfortable place with their claws.

Hibernation in bats

In zones temperate climate With the onset of cold weather, it becomes increasingly difficult for bats to find food. Therefore, some species fly to warmer climes, but the majority lie down (or rather, hover) in winter hibernation.

Bats hibernate in places where no one will disturb them, where there are no drafts, where they can cling firmly, and have somewhere to hide, where the temperature does not drop below zero and the air is sufficiently humid.

In the fall, bats constantly eat, storing fat for the winter, and settle down to sleep in October or November, depending on the temperature, availability of food and species characteristics. Mice gather in groups and sleep, hanging upside down and covered with their wings.

Bat food

Almost all bats are insectivores, but each has its own preferences: some love midges and butterflies, some love bugs and spiders, some catch dragonflies, and some feast on wood larvae.

Most often, bats grab prey on the fly, overtaking insects in the air. Some species have learned to work with their wings as a net or as blades, raking insects closer to the horny opening, and some fold their tail membrane and, like a net, catch their victims with it or put it there hunting trophies. They also eat on the fly, although some species that lead a more sedate lifestyle, after the hunt, settle down for a detailed meal in a favorite place.

In the tropics

Tropical species include fruit bats (flying dogs, spearfish and flying foxes). Unlike bats, they reach relatively large sizes. The largest of the fruit bats are flying foxes. The ability to echolocation has been established only in flying dogs. Many species have no tail. The eyes are well developed, vision is sharp, and almost all fruit bats have herbivorous teeth. Tropical species bats feed on fruits, which is not surprising, since in hot and humid climate fruits ripen all year round. They eat both greens and insects found in the same fruits. In Eurasia, the main lover of the fruit is the flying fox, and in the New World it is the spearfish.

These types of bats also feed on pollen and nectar, which contribute to the reproduction of a number of plants. Flower-eating mice are most often found in the tropics and are distinguished by their long, narrow heads and long tongue- to make it easier to drink from a flower cup.

Carnivorous bats

There are few carnivorous bat species; they are big and sharp teeth, and their food is mice and other four-legged small fry, as well as small birds.

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There are even two species of bats in nature that eat fish. Their large, powerful hind limbs are equipped with incredibly sharp claws, which, when the mouse slides over the surface of the water, pierce the fish like a spear. The flying fisherman can handle prey up to 8 cm long; Once caught, the fish goes straight into the predator’s mouth. Three species of blood-sucking bats inhabit the American continent, from Mexico in the north to Argentina in the south. Having made an incision in the skin of the victim with sharp incisors, they fall to the wound and suck the blood from it. The saliva of bloodsuckers contains a special substance that prevents blood clotting, but usually the amount of blood sucked is not dangerous for the victim of a bat vampire. However, there is always a danger of wound infection: bats are known to carry rabies pathogens.

Own lands

Most bats have their own territories where they hunt, often flying the same route.

Echolocation ability

Of all the bats, only flying foxes have eyes that can see anything in the dark; Moreover, all bats hunt well at night. They are helped to find prey by their well-developed sense of smell, hearing and the ability to echolocation - an amazing and perfect gift of nature.

Simply put, the bat acts like a radar. Through its nose or mouth it produces sounds inaudible to humans in the ultrasonic frequency range. These are short pulses with a frequency of 20-120 kilohertz and a duration of 0.2 to 100 milliseconds, whose parameters vary greatly among representatives of different families. Their waves, reflected from objects, return like an echo. By catching such signals, the bat orients itself in space and determines the size, location and density of objects surrounding it.

This device is so advanced that some bats “see” wires with a diameter of less than 1 mm, and fishing mice see ripples in the water raised by fish.

Reproduction in bats

Almost all species of bats produce offspring once a year. Most give birth to only one baby, some species have two, and the hairy-tailed bat (the only bat with 4 nipples), living in southern Canada and Central America, gives birth to three or even four at a time cubs.

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In the tropics, bats give birth at any time of the year, and in temperate climatic zones Mating occurs in autumn or winter period so that babies are born in the spring.

Both male and female bats middle zone They do not form pairs and often change partners. Sometimes offspring are conceived in the winter hut: the male begins to fidget, crawls to the nearest female and mates with her in his sleep.

Correct calculation

In males, sperm is formed in the summer and, once in the female’s body, remains viable for up to 7 months (this is no longer observed in any other mammal). As a result, fertilization in bats does not occur until the most favorable moment for the birth of offspring.

In some species of bats, the egg is fertilized immediately after mating, but enters the uterus some time later. Fetal maturation (the period from conception to birth) takes different types from 1.5 to 10 months, depending on the time of mating. Waking up from his winter sleep, the male immediately looks for a female, and soon the females (sometimes in the thousands) gather in colonies to give birth and feed their young.

Birth of babies in bats

Bats usually give birth to their young during the day. When giving birth, the female sometimes hangs head down, but more often she attaches herself to the upper or side surface of the shelter with her head up. Having been born (and feet first, which is not observed in any other mammal), the mouse ends up in the mother’s tail membrane folded in a pouch.

The female licks the blind and hairless baby, and at this time he squeaks subtly, and by this squeak the mother can recognize him among thousands of other mice. Interestingly, practically helpless bat cubs at birth weigh half the weight of their mother.

From the moment it is born, the baby feeds on its mother's milk; The period of feeding depends on the type of bat. The vampire bat feeds its offspring the longest - a whole 9 months.

Caring for offspring

Insectivorous mice leave their offspring in the colony and fly off to hunt. When they return, they manage to find their baby in a huge, swarming heap without any difficulty.

In case of danger, the mother flies away, taking with her the baby, whose milk teeth are attached to the nipple, and with the legs and fingers of the forelimbs - to her fur.

Babies develop very quickly; their eyes open on the 3rd-10th day, and their fur grows from the first week. Soon they are already mincing and climbing, and make their first flight after 3-5 weeks - in different ways for different species. For example, large flying foxes cannot take off for up to 3 months.

Mothers teach their children to fly and hunt. The cub is considered mature at the age of 4 months, although the fur has not yet fully grown. Full maturity will occur only after 2 years.

Bats live from 5 to 10 years, sometimes living up to 20. They fly quite long distances - sometimes they have to cover up to 50 km in a day.

This animal is the only mammal that nature has awarded with the ability to move through the air. Its presence can be found everywhere on the planet, except in the Arctic and highlands. 50 million years ago these amazing creatures and today more than seven hundred species of flying animals are known.

General information about bats

The animal belongs to the bats. This is an order of mammals in which the wings and forelimbs form a single unit. Mice have very long fingers, which serve as the frame for their membranous wings. This feature distinguishes them from birds. While birds can soar without moving their outstretched wings, bats are forced to constantly flap them. Average travel speed is about 15 km/h, and during hunting all 60 km/h.

The landing style of mice is also completely different from that of birds. For short time they slow down and immediately take a vertical position, clinging to the surface with their tenacious paws, upside down.

Bats do not build nests; they feed mainly in flight. It will take a mouse no more than an hour to catch a couple hundred mosquitoes.

White bat

The tailless or Honduran white mouse has one of the smallest dimensions of all flying family, only up to 4.5 cmin the case. The animal's ears are also small, its nose has unusual shape And important functions: it is an echolocator, that is, it focuses and amplifies the signals it sends.

The habitat of the white mouse is not limited to Honduras. She also lives in Central American countries (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama). For living, they use the heliconia plant, gnawing holes in it so that the hanging ends form a kind of umbrella. Diet: fruits.

They form families of 5-6 heads, but can also create numerous clans. They breed once a year. One female gives birth to only one calf.

Hog-nosed bat

This specimen is also called the bumblebee mouse. It was discovered in 1973, and its dimensions are even smaller than the Honduran white (body - 3.3 cm, weight - 2 g) . This representative of the mouse bat family bears the title of the smallest.

In addition to the sizes, characteristic feature The animal's nose is surprisingly similar to a pig's snout. The ears are large, but there is no tail at all (in the only species of all bats).

Residence area: Thailand and a few neighboring territories. Settles in limestone caves and has group hunting skills. Does not fly further than 1000 m from the place of residence.They look for food in bamboo and teak thickets. It is not known exactly how this species reproduces, but it is assumed that pregnancy is singleton and no more than once a year.

Vechernitsa

One of the most large families night shadows. It has 8 species with 13 subspecies. Inhabits the lands of North Africa and European countries. The largest bat of all bats. Can grow up to 50 cm.The animal settles in dense deciduous plantings, open space ignores.

Noctules fly out to hunt at dusk and in the predawn hours. They eat beetles and butterflies, but especially large individuals attack small birds. Besides the most large sizes They also have the fastest flight. Speed - 60km/h at an altitude of 100 m.This species does not like frost, so it migrates for the winter to warm lands, covering about 1000 km.There may be two, rarely three cubs in a litter.

Flying fox and dog

So, and also a fruit mouse, they call a whole species of bats - fruit bats. In truth, the structure and development of fruit bats fits the description of herbivorous primates more than insectivorous flying creatures.

Families differ from each other in diet, wing structure, and sensory organs. Mice have echolocation, fruit bats have vision. The nickname “flying dog” or “flying fox” was assigned to mice because of their muzzle, which with its elongated shape resembles the muzzle of a dog or a red-haired cunning dog.

These are large animals: up to 40-42 cm in size,and weighing almost a kilogram. Wingspan up to 1.7 m.Despite their size, the animals are completely harmless; they eat only fruit pulp and flower nectar. For which they received the nickname “fruit”. They sleep with their heads down. Moreover, on cold nights they use the wing as a blanket, and on hot days as a fan. They give birth to one cub per year.

They settle in large colonies among trees in tropical Asian countries (Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, etc.). They are not found in our country. They can cause great damage to garden fruit plantations on farm lands.

Smooth-nosed bat

In this mouse family more than 315 varieties. They do not differ in any special characteristics of appearance, they only have a smooth muzzle without cartilage growths. Distributed wherever there are trees. There are 37 species of smooth-nosed bat in Russia.

They remain awake at twilight or at night, hunting insects. Some species catch and eat fish. In winter they hibernate; only some subspecies fly to warmer climes. One litter brings 1-2 children, rarely they can bring 3-4.

Ushan

The name says it all: these mice have large locator ears. When the animals sleep, they hide them under their wings. The wings are short and wide, thanks to which the animal flutters and can even hover for a short time. The sizes are small - 5-6 cm.

The habitat is extensive: from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific, northern Asian territories, North Africa. The diet consists of butterflies, mosquitoes, beetles and other nocturnal insects. The offspring is 1, less often 2 cubs per year.

Nocturnal

The short-eared mouse, also called the bat, is one of the subspecies of the smooth-nosed variety. It differs from other families of bats in its preference for complete darkness. Nocturnal bats fly out to hunt in the dead of night, when pitch darkness sets in.

This species of beautiful chiroptera is the most adapted of all to any living conditions, except for the Arctic cold. That’s why it’s spread all over To the globe, except for the Arctic. Eats insects, gives birth to one, maximum two babies per year.

Horseshoe bats

These fliers got their name because of the horseshoe-shaped cartilaginous growth around their nose. This structure allows them to send echolocation signals through their nostrils. They live in the Eastern Hemisphere, “Russian” individuals inhabit only the territory of the Caucasus.

They begin hunting immediately after sunset and are most active in the first half of the night. Insectivores. The annual litter is only one cub.

Bulldog bats

This mouse tribe has special wings: narrow, long and pointed. This allows them to swing higher in flight. Body length from 4 to 14 cm.They inhabit the tropics on both hemispheres of the globe.

They live in groups. Colonies can be several dozen, or up to a million animals. They have very intense echolocation and rapid movement in flight. The only one of all bat species that breeds 2-3 times a year. There is one baby per litter.

Vampires - bats

They feed on fresh blood of livestock and birds. Extreme hunger can force a person to attack. Echolocation is poorly developed, but there are excellent receptors with infrared radiation(helps determine the most defenseless area on the skin) and a hearing aid. They inhabit the territories of South and Central America.