Bats

"Of the world's over 5,000 species of mammals, more than 1,000 -- one in five -- are bats. Across eastern North America, however, many bat populations are at risk of extinction, possibly within the next two decades. As this book reveals, it would be a tragic loss. Bats describes the amazing, fascinating, and bizarre world of bats. Bat expert Phil Richardson gives you a guided tour of the nocturnal world of bats: where they live, how they feed, and how they survive in almost every habitat on the planet. Some are tiny, barely the size of a butterfly, while others have wingspans as wide as some humans are tall, more than six feet. Some eat insects and fruit while others have more unusual tastes in food, such as the fisherman bat, which uses its claws to catch fish, or the unjustly demonized blood-eating vampire bats. Bats also dispels common myths -- bats will not fly into your hair and they are not blind -- while it describes bats' complex life cycles and the important role they play in the natural world. The fruit-eating species disperse seed, while the nectar feeders pollinate trees and plants and help to regenerate cleared tropical forest. The insect eaters prey on huge numbers of flying insects every night, some of which are serious pests of our crops, farm animals, buildings and humans. The bats that swoop in and out of our gardens at dusk, for example, help to keep mosquitoes away, without the use of pesticides and without harm to us. The truth about bats is that these amazing creatures have a complex lifestyle, a rich social life, and senses that are almost beyond our comprehension. Wherever you live, these are likely to be bats near you, so discover more with the help of this highly readable and beautifully illustrated book"--Page 4 of cover.