240 Tons of Bats | National Geographic

are you afraid of bats are you willing

are you afraid of bats are you willing to be persuaded that maybe they’re not

to be persuaded that maybe they’re not

to be persuaded that maybe they’re not so bad let’s shed a little light on the

so bad let’s shed a little light on the

so bad let’s shed a little light on the subject

subject

subject this is a bat cave in southwestern Texas

this is a bat cave in southwestern Texas

this is a bat cave in southwestern Texas where bats come to have their young

where bats come to have their young

where bats come to have their young you’re looking at 240 tons of Mexican

you’re looking at 240 tons of Mexican

you’re looking at 240 tons of Mexican free-tailed bats roughly 200 bats per

free-tailed bats roughly 200 bats per

free-tailed bats roughly 200 bats per square foot of cave space even the

square foot of cave space even the

square foot of cave space even the island of Manhattan is this densely

island of Manhattan is this densely

island of Manhattan is this densely packed until recently

packed until recently

packed until recently local residents might have been inclined

local residents might have been inclined

local residents might have been inclined to wipe out a cave like this because the

to wipe out a cave like this because the

to wipe out a cave like this because the bat has acquired such a bad reputation

bat has acquired such a bad reputation

bat has acquired such a bad reputation but now these productive citizens of the

but now these productive citizens of the

but now these productive citizens of the animal kingdom are being protected as

animal kingdom are being protected as

animal kingdom are being protected as they struggle to survive consider just

they struggle to survive consider just

they struggle to survive consider just how hard it is to reach adulthood

how hard it is to reach adulthood

how hard it is to reach adulthood even with mom right there with the baby

even with mom right there with the baby

even with mom right there with the baby of the cave

of the cave

of the cave first of all baby might fall and

first of all baby might fall and

first of all baby might fall and carnivorous insects cover the floor of

carnivorous insects cover the floor of

carnivorous insects cover the floor of the cave ready to chow down on those too

the cave ready to chow down on those too

the cave ready to chow down on those too young to fly even if they learn to fly

young to fly even if they learn to fly

young to fly even if they learn to fly inexperienced bats might impale

inexperienced bats might impale

inexperienced bats might impale themselves on the thorn bushes outside

themselves on the thorn bushes outside

themselves on the thorn bushes outside dan speaking of outside yes what’s

dan speaking of outside yes what’s

dan speaking of outside yes what’s waiting for the young juicy oblivious

waiting for the young juicy oblivious

waiting for the young juicy oblivious bats right at the mouth of the cave okay

bats right at the mouth of the cave okay

bats right at the mouth of the cave okay so why do you care whether bats survive

so why do you care whether bats survive

so why do you care whether bats survive or not

or not

or not well when these bats leave the cave as a

well when these bats leave the cave as a

well when these bats leave the cave as a group all at once flying at speeds up to

group all at once flying at speeds up to

group all at once flying at speeds up to 45 miles per hour

45 miles per hour

45 miles per hour they’ll eat pesky insects a lot of pesky

they’ll eat pesky insects a lot of pesky

they’ll eat pesky insects a lot of pesky insects say about a quarter of a million

insects say about a quarter of a million

insects say about a quarter of a million tons in a single night

that’s make up a quarter of all mammal

that’s make up a quarter of all mammal species and yet their numbers are

species and yet their numbers are

species and yet their numbers are declining but there are vital thread in

declining but there are vital thread in

declining but there are vital thread in the tapestry of life and besides that

the tapestry of life and besides that

the tapestry of life and besides that well they’re even kind of cute

well they’re even kind of cute

well they’re even kind of cute in a weird kind of way