I love big furry fruit bats. Their fur feels like a cashmere jersey and their wings are like suede.
On a holiday in Singapore I was lucky to get very close to bats at the Night Safari which increased my love of them. My upcoming Australian holiday has bat-searching and visiting a bat-hospital top of the to-do list.
Fruit bats or Megabats as they're officially known, are essential for the seeding and regeneration of rainforests. They can have a wingspan of up to 1 metre. They feed on fruit, blossoms and nectar. They do not use echolocation to navigate at night but have well-developed eyes and a good sense of smell to help them locate food. They live in social groups in trees in 'camps'.
Don't believe that bats can be cute? Then check out this video of baby bats in an Australian bat hospital.
For more bat facts
- Search our catalogue for bat resources
- Our page about Native bats (Pekapeka)
- Find out about bats in the e-resource Science Reference Centre free online
- All About Bats of Southern Queensland information page for children and teachers
- Wildcare Australia's page about bats
- Australian Bat Clinic and Wildlife Trauma Centre website
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