this post was submitted on 16 May 2026
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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!

Found a bat in need of help?

Celebrate bats with us!

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.

Our rules for posting and commenting, besides the rules defined here for lemmy.world, are as follows:

Everyone should feel welcome here. Hateful or bigoted language will not be tolerated.

Don’t post anything a fruit bat would not approve of.

Please don't hate on bats in this community (this includes all of your edgy covid humor).

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[–] ApathyTree@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Its face is hairless and is covered by convoluted outgrowths of skin (hence the name wrinkle-faced). These skin flaps are more pronounced in males than females. Males also possess a skin mask that can be used to cover their face.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrinkle-faced_bat

Excuse me, what the fuck.

[–] pticrix@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Explained here. Think of how you would put your t-shirt up to over your nose to make a mask - they got a skin flap for that.

[–] ickplant@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

“I’ve got a skin flap for that” - sounds very Zoidberg-esque.

[–] ApathyTree@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] pticrix@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago

Style is subjective, but given that their faces wouldn't win many beauty pageant - according to human standards - I find them cuter when they hide half of it in their neck flap. Their females seems to think so, too!