Going to Bat for Bats

Why these remarkable winged mammals deserve more public support and scientific study. By Tom Dickson

I

SILENT SLURPER Bats drink on the wing, skimming over the water surface while taking a quick sip. Bats that live in Montana’s arid regions, such as the pallid bat shown here, must constantly replace vast amounts of water lost to evaporation from the surface of their wings.

t’s not easy being a bat. The winged mammals have long been reviled as symbols of evil and witchcraft. Bats are feared for their silent, erratic nighttime flight, otherworldly appearance, and mysterious movements to and from underground roosts. Bats have been accused of attacking people, drinking human blood, and spreading rabies. Even scientific journals often depict bats open-mouthed in what appear to be menacing shrieks. Yet the poor public image of bats may be the least of their problems. Bats must survive the loss of large trees and other roosting sites, disturbances by vandals, and lung damage caused by wind turbines. To make matters worse, they now face the threat of a mysterious disease wiping out colonies in northeastern states—and spreading west. Given all they are up against, it’s surprising to learn that bats are among the world’s most successful species. “Bats are physiological marvels,” says Bryce Maxell, interim director of the Montana Natural Heritage Program. Bats are the world’s only flying mammals (flying squirrels, Maxell explains, only soar as they fall). Like grizzly bears, bats hibernate, and, like whales, deploy sophisticated sonar to navigate and find food. Because they occupy an ecological niche—the night sky—that other mammals and most birds don’t fully use, bats have multiplied and evolved over the past 50 million years to become among the most abundant and diverse animals on the planet. 

PHOTO BY JOE MCDONALD

8

JULY–AUGUST 2011

FWP.MT.GOV/MTOUTDOORS

MONTANA OUTDOORS

9