Bats are Myth-Understood!         
           

Myth - Bats cause rabies.

Bats can get rabies from other animals. They can give it to another animal. More people get rabbies from their pets than from BATS.

Myth - Bats fly into people's hair and get tangled up!

Bats do not fly into people's hair. They are far too good at echolocation to run into anything! When they fly near they are after a mosquito buzzing around your head!

Myth - Bats are blind. "You are as BLIND as a BAT!"

How well do you see in the dark? Bats don't see well in the dark either. They hunt at night when it is hard to see. That is why they use echolocation and smell to get around. Fruit bats actually see three times better than you do. They also see in color.

Myth - Bats drink human blood!

There is only one bat that drinks blood. It doesn't drink human blood. It drinks the blood of birds, cows, chickens, goats, and other livestock! The vampire bat lives in the rainforests of South America. The bat lands on its “donor” while it is sleeping. The bat makes a tiny cut in the animal and drinks about 1-2 tablespoons of blood.  Then it tiptoes away.  The animal doesn’t die.  The animal doesn’t become a vampire.  The animal doesn’t even know that it has given away any of its blood. The saliva of the vampire contains something that keeps the blood from clotting. Scientists are studying it. It may be helpful as a medicine for heart patients.

Myth - Bats are dirty and ugly!

Actually, bats are like cats. They spend a lot of time cleaning and making sure their fur is soft and smooth! Bats are also cute. They have faces that are very much like our favorite dogs!

Bats are wonderful animals, but they are wild and you should never pick one up. If you find a bat it is probably sick.

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