HOT or NOT?

[PairoDocs]

A bit of clarification is needed here--bats aren't blind. All species of bats have functional eyes. Most only use them for backup purposes, though. The insectivorous bats use them to find distant landmarks and the like so they can find their ways back to their daytime roosts (roof eaves, caves, etc.)--stuff that's out of range of their echo-location sonar capabilities. Furthermore, fruit bats, especially flying foxes, don't even use sonar to locate. Their vision is superior to human vision, especially at night when they feed. The same goes for vampire bats, the only bat, by the way, that can run on the ground at a full gallop like a cat, using its folded up wings exactly like a cat's front legs. Vampire bats find chickens and cattle mostly by sight, smell, and thermoreceptors in their noses akin to what pit vipers use to sense warm-blooded prey by their infrared heat--a sixth sense humans and most other mammals lack. Their large ears can detect breathing sounds and minimal echolocation--enough to guide them through trees at night and into caves.

Why I know this? I'm a member of the National Speleological Society, which makes me a caver. In most people's opinions, anyone who likes to venture into pitch black caves (or other similar dark holes) for the fun of it must be "bats." Of course we (cavers who wish to grow old never explore alone) bring in ample and redundant light sources. As part of our public education, we learn lots about bats and how good they are for the environment and how vital protecting caves with bat colonies is.

Oh, yes, the first animal is definitely a young aye-aye, while the second with the white fur could be a fruit bat of some kind--reminds me of the story of Stellaluna (a white fruit bat). Its facial proportions aren't the same as the type of Samoan fruit bats I know of. If I could get a better look at the bat's teeth, this could actually be some kind of vampire bat. The lips could be covering the front incisors. Its nose is too simple--so I guess I have to rule vampire bat out. Size comparison to something familiar would help, too. If it's really tiny, then it could be a normal insectivorous bat. Usually sonar using bats have complex noses. I'm not an exhaustive authority on bats, I have to admit, so I could be wrong on what kind of bat shown--but I'm certain it's a bat (with eyes).

Chris

 

[Dina]

Well whatever it is ..it has night vision,that is plain.
Also looks like a marsupial,maybe our Aussie buddies will tell us.
I agree with lyn and others...its so ugly its cute.
I want one!

Bina-A baby Yoda!! hahahaha

 

[Dina]

It's an aye-aye. Cute little critter..

OOPS..had no idea what you meant by "aye-aye"
Guess I was wrong about it being a marsupial since it says that
its a mammal,BUT I was correct about it being nocturnal. Though
that is no great feat,I mean can you imagine that thing running
around during the daylight hours...?

 

[Woodbutcher]

Aye Aye Cap'n , thanks for clearing that one up !

 

[ChouDoufu]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_yJYyT2YKs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IqK-pIuSLs

 

[Blanche]

This is the Stellaluna that I know

This is the Stellaluna that I know

Chris:

Stellaluna is also a character in a young children's book.

The book that I (primary teacher once upon a time) have came with a Stellaluna stuffed critter. Little kids loved Stellaluna. The stuffed critter sits on a lanp shade, above the computer, in our computer room. She's not lonley anymore...smiles

Blanche

 

[noel]

Aye Aye sure is ugly

Aye Aye sure is ugly

Wow! I'd never even heard of that one but it sure is one ugly creature.
Robbie

 

[PairoDocs]

Yes, Stellaluna, a bat that fell off her mother and landed in a bird's nest. She was raised with the other baby birds and tried to become one, ending up frustrated, but eventually her bat nature allowed her to help her bird brothers and sisters, and eventually she found her mother. I have read the story to my kids several times. It's interesting that she was raised on bugs, and apparently could adapt her digestion to accepting bugs. After all most bats eat insects, and even the fruit bats can digest insects if need be; they undoubtedly ingest insects with their fruit-based diet (i.e. the worm of the wormy apple, etc.).

Looking up aye ayes I don't find them ugly when one understands what all the peculiar features of this primate (yes, a nocturnal lemur-like monkey from Madagascar), the huge bat ears to listen for grubs crawling through wood, the pointed middle finger for probing the wood and digging the grubs out, and the big eyes for seeing in the dark. I find the face actually a bit cute, not revolting.

Chris