There are over 1000 species of bats in the world.
18 currently in the UK.
Bats use sound to ‘see’ in the dark. This is called echolocation and is pretty cool.
Bats are the only flying mammals.
They can fly very fast at more than 60 miles/hour.
Most megabats are fruit-eaters, while most microbats eat insects. Some bats drink nectar and eat pollen, a few suck blood and some eat larger prey such as lizards, frogs, and fish.
Bats usually give birth to a single baby that is called a pup.
A group of bats is called a colony or sometimes a cauldron.
The lifespan of a UK bat can vary a lot. The most common species, the pipistrelles, have an average lifespan of four to five years. The longest-lived species include Brandt’s bat, which can live up to 40 years and the greater horseshoe bat which can make it to 30.
Bats hibernate over winter. They enter a very deep sleep called torpor to conserve energy during times when they cannot find food.
The most common bat species in the UK is the Common Pipistrelle. It is also the smallest and weighs not more than a pound coin.