Bats

Bats are mysterious and very interesting, however even today not very known animals. Since long ago people have imputed to bats diverse characters, unfortunately in our regions mostly negative ones. Owing to their appearance they used to be considered as devil's companions. Such opinions were based on lack of knowledge and even today some people are afraid of these species and damage them badly.   

Bats used to be connected with birds; however they do not much to do with birds except their ability to fly. Bats belong to mammals; still they are not flying rodents as some people think about them. Bats create a special order – Chiroptera. In translation it means chiro – hand and ptera – wing. As regards development, bats are probably closest to the primates (they seem to be our „close relatives“). In Slovakia, there were identified 28 bat species so far. As bats are mammals, in spring they have live youngs which are nursed with a mother milk.

Bats have numerous very specific adaptations, they are only mammals with the ability of an active flight and they dispose of another unique character – echolocation which enables them to have an active night life fulfilling their irreplaceable role in nature. Forest is the most important biotope for bats, because each species in our conditions is exclusively or at least partially bound to forest ecosystem. Forests offer hunting places and shelter as well. Bats make use of different types of shelters – many species use also attics of human dwellings. Besides old buildings, some species settle down also „modern“ panel houses using the hollow spaces of attics and crevices between panels. Some species live even in more hidden way of life. They occur in forests in the tree hollows, under the bark or in forest cottages under the wooden cobbles, window shutter etc.