this post was submitted on 08 May 2024
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Bats

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Bats are cool

Bats are the only true flying mammals. There are over 1,400 species of bats, and they can be found on nearly every part of the planet. Not only are they cute, they are also important...

Studying how bats use echolocation has helped scientists develop navigational aids for the blind. Without bats’ pollination, seed dispersal, and pest control we wouldn’t have bananas, avocados, mangoes, agave, or cacao… that’s right, bats bring us tequila and chocolate!

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Our community's mascot is Baxter. Baxter is an Egyptian fruit bat that was cruelly kept alone and confined to a small cage for 12 years before being rescued by a bat sanctuary. You can read the full story by clicking on his name.

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What makes bats like bananas so much? Or is it just the humans' preferred treat for bats?

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[–] Mellow12 21 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (4 children)

Assuming you’re talking about those cute videos of bats being fed bananas while being nursed back to health. Every video I’ve seen was of a fruit bat which eats… fruits. Bananas, mangos, dates, avocados, and any type of pulpy fruit. Peeled bananas are probably easier to feed to them than say an avocado. They just happen to look adorable doing it.

So short answer that’s the kind of foods that type of bat eats. Other kinds of bats (arguably less cute kinds of bats) prefer things like insects.

A fruit bat

And a brown bat

[–] LucasWaffyWaf 12 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Brown bats are still adorable nuggets in their own way! Just wee flapmice nibbling mosquitoes and pollinating our flowers.

[–] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 8 points 7 months ago (1 children)

"Flapmice" hahaha, I'll be stealing that!

[–] erusuoyera@sh.itjust.works 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

"Flittermouse" is an actual alternative name for a bat.

[–] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 2 points 7 months ago

Ooh, like that too!

[–] Tag365 5 points 7 months ago

Yeah; that brown bat is still cute and I like the expression it's making in the picture.

[–] CaptainBlagbird 6 points 7 months ago

Brown bat is like "why you callin me less cute, bitch?!" 😅🥺

[–] over_clox 6 points 7 months ago

One is a flying fruit puppy, the other is a flying demon.

[–] Tag365 1 points 7 months ago

Why not apples? Is there a reason apples aren't a preferred fruit of bats?