Bats are always so exciting for children! They seem so interested in the only mammal that can fly!
Bats break the rules big time! They're animals who meet all the criteria for mammals:
they're warm blooded furry vertebrates
they breathe air through lungs
they give birth to live young which they nourish with milk from their mammary glands.
There are nearly a thousand different kinds of bats, and with the exception of rodents, no other group of mammals has such an enormous variety of species.
The Kitti's Hog-Nosed Bat, for example, is the size of a bumblebee, while the largest bat-the Flying Fox-has a wing span of six feet.
Why don't we now find out exactly what a bat's body looks like.
Let's read on to find out more, but first look at some of these pictures taken on September 16, 2001. Heather, from the Conservation Organization for Bats, visited Birds Unlimited to share her knowledge.
THE ADVANTAGES OF BAT HOUSES
Bat houses offer us a way to help local bat populations find suitable roosting sites. Since bats are continuously evicted from trees and human houses, bat houses give these bats a place to live.
By putting up a bat house you will benefit from fewer yard and garden pests. You will also enjoy learning about bats and sharing your knowledge with friends and family.
Photos by Susan Stein, Tooter4Kids