How bats became one of the planet’s most successful animals

It’s a little-known fact that bats are one of the most successful animals on Earth, with almost 1,500 different species currently identified. Their agility in flight and prowess as hunters, wide-ranging diversity in size and behaviour and ability to adapt to almost any environment have allowed them to conquer almost every corner of the globe. But despite their success, many species of bats are now under threat. In this episode, we’re joined by ecologist and neurobiologist Prof Yossi Yuval to talk about his latest book, The Genius Bat – Understanding our Most Mysterious Mammal. He gives us a breakdown of bats’ sophisticated ability to ‘see’ the world using sound, tells us how despite their reputation as terrifying blood-thirsty predators, vampire bats have highly developed social networks and will even share their meals with other members of their roosts, and also explains how the loss of bats could have a huge effect on the ecosystems in which they live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices