this post was submitted on 15 Jul 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!

Found a bat in need of help?

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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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[–] Ashyr@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Anecdotaly, if ever a bat gets into your home and is flying around unable to escape, the easiest way to relocate it safely is to slap it out of the air with a bath towel whip.

In college, my best friend did this to a bat on his first try and it became the stuff of legend. Years later, stay at a hostel with some friends, a bat got into our room and I remembered the towel trick. First try! It was surprisingly intuitive.

I carried the bat (after getting gloves) outside where it lept from my hands and flew to safety.

The more you know!