We’re batty about bats here at Nat Geo Kids! Did you know that there are roughly 1,300 species of bat in the world? That’s around a fifth of all mammals! Meet some of our favourites…


Straw-coloured fruit bat

bat facts and pictures for kids

This mango-munching megabat from sub-Saharan Africa is known to gather in groups of millions and has a wingspan of up to a metre across!


Grey long-eared bat

bat facts and pictures for kids

One of Britain’s rarest bats, this long-lugged beauty is found across the south of England. Roosting in the roofs of old buildings, plus caves, mines and cellars, it’s believed there are now only 1,000 remaining.


Thomas’s house bat

bat facts and pictures for kids

What could be more ghostly than a see-through bat? With its incredible transparent wings and a white belly stripe, this insect-eating bat from west and eastern Africa is very unusual – and a bit of a mystery.


Tube-nosed fruit bat

bat facts and pictures for kids

This peculiar chap is found on some remote islands of indonesia, in Australia and in Papua New Guinea. Discovered in 1984, its long nasal tubes stretch and vibrate when the bat makes its high whistling call.


Honduran white tent bat

bat facts and pictures for kids

Just 4cm long, this weeny white mammal from Central America roots underneath large waxy leaves of rainforest plants. It nibbles the leaves so they fold down, creating a tent. Cute and clever!


Greater bulldog bat

bat facts and pictures for kids

This strong mammal from Central and South America chomps on fish, crabs and scorpions. It scoops fish from the surface of the water with its feet, using echolocation* to detect their ripples on the surface.

To discover more about bats, and to find out how you can help these fascinating creatures, fly over to bats.org.uk

*Bats send out waves of sound from their mouths or noses, which bounce off their surroundings right back to their ears. By listening to the echoes bats can build up a picture of exactly what’s around them – including juicy insects!
Thomas’s house bats © Dr. Emma Stone; Greater bulldog and tube-nosed fruit bats: Nature Picture Library; All other images © Getty Images UK.
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COMMENTS

  • Is kdkek

  • A Guy Who Wants a Honduran white tent bat as a pet

    bats are cute

  • Ray

    Bats are cool

  • bats are ok.

  • Lewis dark Francis

    I think that bats are very strange animals, especially vampire bats, what bats live in the UK?

  • save bats!

    save all of the bats! They are endangered!

  • Ingrid

    I love the pictures and facts

  • batsy

    cool

  • Batbad

    Cool

  • root

    I LOVE BATS SO MUCH.Well my name is BillyBonkers85 and on this website it said Meet some bonkers bats,, and bonkers is part of my name.

  • ive-gone-batty

    bats are the best

  • swimswim

    bat are cool

  • GiraffeGirl

    They are so cool. Bats are so interesting arent they. I love Honduran tent making bats. They are so cute.

  • kulda

    cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll SLEEP with his head upside down!!!!

  • Veny

    Coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooollllll flying mouses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(BATS)

  • Jellyapple

    neat

  • hannahbluesky

    amazing

  • xinyue

    bat-tastic!

  • musa

    how did you make these picture?

  • aasdfghjkl

    cool

  • jake11

    Lol

  • AJplayer

    Did you know that the bat is the only flying mammal?

  • isiah

    discustinggggggggggggggggg

  • Meglemoo

    Wow these are brilliant! I like the Honduran white tent bat, the grey long eared bat and the straw coloured fruit bat the most!

  • batty

    i love the cute pics!!!!!

  • Boolp

    Ya

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