Bat Appreciation Week is celebrated in October every year; this year making its mark from October 24 to 31 with an aim is to create awareness about bats’ importance for our ecosystem and their conservation.
So, on this occasion, let’s explore some of the interesting lesser-known bat facts that may surprise and amuse you:
Bats have 1,400 species living worldwide, varying in shape and size and region to region.
Bats help over 300 fruit species in pollination including bananas, avocadoes, mangoes, nuts, cacao, etc.
Despite their small size, the bats are the only flying mammals that can fly faster.
Bats are known to groom themselves like cats. It helps them get a sleek fur and control parasites on their bodies.
Bats’ echolocation system which they use to find their prey at night has helped scientists to develop navigational support for blind people.
They reduce the number of mosquitoes by eating up to 1,200 mosquitoes in an hour.
Bat droppings are highly rich in potassium nitrate or saltpeter which is an excellent fertilizer and also can be used in making gunpowder.
They are extremely adaptable and can live on almost every continent of the world.
Bats are often linked to witchcraft and vampires which caused their decline as humans started killing them.