Bat Itsy Bitsy 8cm - Soft Toy

Physical Characteristics
Bats are mammals in the order Chiroptera and can range in size from Kitti's Hog-nosed Bat measuring 29-33 mm (1.14-1.30 in) in length and 2 g (0.07 oz) in mass, to the Giant golden-crowned flying fox which has a wing span of 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) and weighs approximately 1.2 kg (3 lb). The forelimbs of all bats are developed as wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of sustained flight. A measure of the success of bats is their estimated total of about 1,100 species worldwide, accounting for about 20 percent of all mammal species.

Habitat
Bats are present throughout most of the world. Bats perform a vital ecological role by pollinating flowers, and also serve an important role in seed dispersal through their faeces.

Breeding
Most bats have a breeding season, which is in the spring for species living in a temperate climate. Bats may have one to three litters in a season, depending on the species and on environmental conditions such as the availability of food and roost sites. Females generally have one offspring at a time; this is probably a result of the mother's need to fly to feed while pregnant. Female bats nurse their youngster until it has grown nearly to adult size; this is because a young bat cannot forage on its own until its wings have assumed adult dimensions.

Diet
About 70 percent of bats are insectivores. Most of the rest are frugivores, with a few species being carnivorous. By emitting high-pitched sounds and listening to the echoes, also known as sonar, microbats locate prey and other nearby objects. This is the process of echolocation, an ability they share with dolphins and whales.

Strange and Interesting Facts
Bats can fly 2 miles high, and catch tail winds, riding them at speeds of up to 60 miles an hour! Fishing bats have echolocation so sophisticated that they can detect a minnow's fin as fine as a human hair, protruding only two millimeters above a pond's surface.