Trivia

With 980-plus species, bats make up more than 23 percent of all known mammals by species.

Bats are unique in the animal kingdom because they are the only mammals to have evolved true flight. Most species also possess a system of acoustic orientation, often called "bat radar," but technically known as echolocation.

Bats are often thought of as flying mice,but they are more closely related to primates, including humans, than they are to mice. Bats are unique among mammals because they fly. As with most other mammals, the bat's body is covered by hair, with the exception of its wings.

Although bats have the same basic arm and hand bones found in humans and most other mammals, the bat's hand and finger bones are very long and slender and there are only 4 digits. The delicate-looking skin between the arms, fingers, body, legs, and feet looks delicate, but is extremely resistant to tearing by sharp objects.