A Bat Fact Frenzy with Bat Expert, Dr Sarah Richdon

Bats are awesome, but they’re often misunderstood. We wanted to know more about these intriguing creatures, so we sat down with certified bat expert, Dr Sarah Richdon, Conservation and Higher Education Manager and Programme Lead for Animal Behaviour and Welfare at Bristol Zoological Society. Here are ten of the most fascinating things she told us about bats…

1. BATS ARE EVERYWHERE

Well, pretty much everywhere. A fifth of all mammal species on the entire planet are bats! There are more than 1300 different species of bats in the world. They roost in rural, suburban and urban areas. The most prevalent type of bat in the UK is the tiny common pipistrelle, which weighs just 5 grams. Wherever you live, if you head outside at dusk and look for bats flitting around in the sky, there’s a strong chance you’ll spot them!

 2. BATS ARE MISUNDERSTOOD

Throughout history and across cultures, bats have had something of a bad reputation, often being associated with death. It’s obvious why the vampire bat, which feeds on blood, might be linked to Dracula or Nosferatu. Other reasons why people might be suspicious of bats is many species are nocturnal, and that they cross the boundaries of mammals and birds, possessing features of both. But bats are important creatures and although they carry diseases, can live alongside human beings without doing harm. They help with pest control, pollination and seed dispersal. We need bats! 

3. THERE’S A SPECIAL, SINGLE BAT IN WEST SUSSEX

There are 18 species of bats in the UK, but only 17 of them are breeding. The 18^th is a lone ranger: a single greater mouse-eared bat that’s been known to be roosting in a West Sussex railway tunnel since 2002. This species of bat is still present in Europe but officially extinct in the UK – apart from this one bat, dubbed ‘Britain’s loneliest old bat’. But last year, a second greater mouse-eared bat was found in the same location, suggesting the population may have doubled – from one to two.

4. BATS MIGHT HOLD THE SECRET TO A LONGER LIFE

Bats are incredibly resilient. Thanks to their impressive DNA protection system, they carry all kinds of diseases, but rarely get sick themselves. Bats live longer than an animal of their size should; you’d expect Livingstone’s fruit bats to live for seven or eight years, but they live for over 30. Scientists think it’s because bats have big telomeres, which are caps on the end of chromosomes that make DNA better at resisting change and degradation. Human telomeres shorten as we get older. A university group in Dublin is studying bat telomeres because they think they might hold the secret to living longer.

5. MOST BATS HAVE TO FALL TO FLY

Unlike birds, most types of bats can’t take off from the ground; they have to reach height then fall in order to be able to fly. So, if a bat finds itself on the ground, it has to waddle to a tree and scramble up it before it can take off. It’s because very few bats have strong enough legs needed to jump into the sky from the ground. There are some exceptions to the rule, though: vampire bats are capable of taking off from ground level, because they land on their prey and then jump off again, performing a vertical take-off into the air.

6. BATS HAVE BUSY SOCIAL LIVES

Bats are very sociable creatures, who huddle in the family group when they return to the roost. Bats are happy to share food, especially with a member of their colony who is weak and particularly needs it. Vampire bats are known to form bonds through sharing food and grooming each other. Common pipistrelle colonies tend to be all-female, with the males living either alone or in smaller colonies until it’s time to breed. Sick Egyptian fruit bats even practice social distancing and keep themselves away from roosting groups, which is thought to be to protect the colony and aid their own recovery!

7. BATS HELP ECOSYSTEMS

Bats are crucial to ecosystems. The estimated value of pest control and ecosystem services provided by bats in the US is between $3.7 billion to $53 billion. Bats are more effective than pesticides at reducing crop failure. A Brazilian free-tailed bat can eat 70% of her bodyweight mass (around 12 grams) in insects every night, so an average maternity colony of 1 million bats can consume 8.4 tonnes of insects per night. Bats are also important pollinators and seed dispersers; fig seeds that have been through the digestive system of a fruit bat have a higher rate of germination to those which haven’t.

8. YOU CAN EAVESDROP ON BATS

As bats hunt for insects, they make sounds, and the echoes that come back to them tell them about anything in front of them. This system, called echolocation, can tell bats the shape and size of an insect and even the direction in which it is flying. Generally, bat calls are too high-pitched for humans to hear, but they can be heard through bat detectors. You can buy basic bat detectors quite cheaply, but some libraries even lend them out. Search online for organised bat walks in your area too; these tend to happen in the summer months and offer a chance to use a bat detector with an expert guide.

9. YOU SHOULD NEVER INTERACT WITH A BAT

Bats might be cute, but you should never touch or try to interact with one. As mentioned, they carry diseases, including rabies. Most bat species in the UK are tiny, but they have very sharp teeth so it’s best to leave them well alone. If you come across a bat that’s sick or injured (a bat visible in the daytime is usually unwell), the best thing to do is contact your local bat rehabilitator, via the National Bat Helpline. Bat rehabilitators are volunteers who have been trained in handling bats and, crucially, vaccinated against diseases bats carry. They look after bats until they’re well enough to be freed into the wild again.

10. YOU CAN PROVIDE A HOME FOR BATS

Bat populations in the UK have decreased considerably in the last 100 years, for lots of reasons, including pesticides and artificial lighting. One of the biggest risks to bats is loss of habitat, but you can help. Although it’s not safe to get close to bats, you can provide a home for them without ever coming into contact with them. Contrary to popular belief, most bats don’t live in caves. Their habitat depends on their species, but they can live in natural holes in trees, crevices in houses, eaves and lofts. And building or installing a bat box is a great way to encourage these amazing and important animals into your area.