PHOTO VIA WIKIPEDIA, CC BY-SA
The picture
Bats are the only truly flying mammals and quiet heroes of the night - pollinating plants, spreading seeds, and eating vast numbers of insect pests. A fungal disease and roost loss have hit many species hard, but bat boxes and cave protection are helping.
The science
Order Chiroptera, ~1,400 species - a fifth of all mammals. Most insect-eating bats navigate by echolocation, emitting calls and reading the echoes to hunt in total darkness.
In numbers
Worth repeating at dinner
A single little brown bat can eat over 1,000 mosquito-sized insects in an hour.
- USGS
Some bats pollinate at night - including the agave used to make tequila.
- Bat Conservation International
What they face
A cold-loving fungus wakes hibernating bats, burning the fat they need to survive winter.
USGS
Sealed caves, felled old trees, and disturbed attics remove safe places to rest.
IUCN
What is already working
Putting up roost boxes gives displaced bats a safe home.
Bat-friendly gates keep people out while letting bats fly free.
Reasons for hope
Gating key hibernation caves has stabilized some bat colonies.
Bats save farmers billions a year in natural pest control, driving new protections.
Meet them
Small actions that reach them
People doing the big work
Hopeling is also a pocket companion: one fact, one small act a day. Open the app