Bats are not flying rodents such as mice with wings, but are indeed the only flying mammals on the planet which can sustain flight. They might look similar to a furry little house mouse, but they belong to a group of their own called Chiroptera. This word is derived from the Greek word “cheiro” meaning hand and “pteron” meaning “wing.” Basically, skin stretches across elongated arm and finger bones making up a very unique adaptation. Appropriately named, wouldn’t you say? Some biologists are theorizing that bats are more closely related to primates due to this characteristic as well as others. Primates include lemurs, monkeys, apes, and humans!
Check out our Mammals of Ohio Field Guide to learn more about the 11 species of Chiroptera we have living in Ohio: http://ow.ly/bzRH30mn0mO
Visit http://batweek.org/ for great ideas to help raise bat awareness in your neighborhood and beyond. #bats #batweek