LIVE BAT ROOST WEBCAM

More info: The webcam shows one of two roosting areas used by the fruit bats during the day. There are hammocks and vines to cling from as well as roosting curtains to hide behind. A sweet potato kabob and juice bottles are also available. Egyptian fruit bats sometimes like to crowd into the fabric hammock to sleep, and tiny short-tailed fruit bats will often be seen hanging in front of the camera. This webcam is always in night vision.

Bats are mammals and are the only true flying mammals capable of sustained flight. They have four long fingers and a thumb, each connected to the next by a thin layer of skin. There are over 1,400 known species of bats in the world – with more still being discovered. Bats make up around 20% of all mammal species worldwide.

There are two main types of bats: microbats and megabats. The majority of bats are microbats, which feed on insects like moths and mosquitoes, that come out at night. Vampire bats are the only species of microbats that feed on blood rather than insects. They navigate and find their food by using echolocation.

In contrast, megabats live in the tropics and eat fruit, nectar, and pollen. They do not echolocate but have excellent vision with larger eyes and a stronger sense of smell than microbats. There are more than 150 species of megabats, which are usually, but not always, larger than microbats.

Bats are more closely related to humans than they are to mice. They usually have just one baby per year and may live up to 30 years of age.