It is another April 17th! Happy International Bat Appreciation Day!!! It is a day to celebrate our insect controlling, free flying and pollinating mammals. Bats are one of the coolest mammals out there because of a whole lot of reasons. Their cuteness and continued contribution to the ecosystem play a part in these reasons to appreciate these furry winged creatures. I know some people might be skeptical about celebrating bats during a lockdown caused by Covid-19 but what if I tell you how cool they are? What if I make you love them?

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8 Weird Facts About Bats

You might have never liked bats. Perhaps you think they are scary, or you think they are spooky with all the hanging upside down at night and all the blood sucking myths about bats.

P.S: Not all bats suck blood. Bats are predominantly fruit eaters. Very few bat species don’t eat fruits.

Anyway, here are some weird facts you must have never known about bats. Here we go:

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• Bats have Only One Birthing Season Per Year

Bats have been named the slowest reproducing animals in the world because they have only one birthing season per year. However, during that season, female bats can have 2-3 litters (each litter containing twins or triplets). These pups mature quickly and in six weeks, they’re already old enough to start flying around on their own.

During the birthing season, female bats make maternal colonies where they stay and prepare for the birth. These places are usually warm and conducive to the survival of their soon to arrive pups.

• Female Bats Get To Choose When To Have The Babies

I don’t know about you but this is sincerely cracking me up. To know that bats have their own method of birth control is by far the coolest thing I have heard since the beginning of the year. After mating, the female gets to choose when to allow the sperm to meet the egg.

This choice is made based on a proposed time of birth. The female bat thinks, will there be food when I have these pups? Will the weather be warm? The answers will influence her decision to either have the babies sooner, or delay fertilization. What intelligent animals!

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• Bats have Nurseries

After birth, little bats are placed in nurseries where they huddle together for warmth. These nurseries are part of the maternity colonies usually formed during pregnancy. Little pups and their mothers (and sometimes the mother’s friends who want to help out) stay in these nurseries until the pups are mature enough to go out on their own.

• Bats Have Navels

Just like every other mammal, bats are born with umbilical cords which are cut off by their mothers at birth. When you hear umbilical cord, of course the end products are navels right? That’s how bats get navels.

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• Bats Breastfeed Their Young; Even The Daddy Bats!

Bats have breasts on their chest, under their arms. After birth, pups immediately latch unto their mothers and begin sucking. Few days after birth, the mother bat has to carry the baby bat on her chest while going for a hunt. Something like a natural baby carrier. Only that the babies hang on to their mother’s nipples with their mouths(ouch) and to their mother’s waist with their toes.

Male Dyak fruit bats are able to breastfeed their young. Isn’t that amazing? Downright unbelievable!

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• Bats Are More Cute Than Scary

Bats are cute. They look like a cross between so many animals lol. They look like foxes, like mice, like puppies, bears and like birds(cos of their wings and in low light). They make very cute pets, especially bat pups who just look so cute.

Ever seen a bat eat? Or tongue out? Absolutely cute! Keep scrolling for more cute bat photos.

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• Bats Live Long

The oldest bat is a tiny bat from Siberia who has lived for forty one years. The longest lived bat species lives for an average of 37 years. This longevity has been studied and it was found out that bats have developed a mechanism to reduce self-induced cellular damage, thereby increasing their lifespan.

• Some Bats Excrete Glittery Poop

Bat poop is also called guano. In insect bats, feces is excreted along with the glittery parts of insects that do not digest. This gives the bat’s feces a funky glittery look!

Happy International Bat Appreciation Day!