Concept in Definition ABC

The bat is the only one mammal flying of the animal kingdom. There are more than 1000 species and they are found in all latitudes of the planet. In general, the bat feeds on insects or small vertebrates. Only one of the bat families, vampires, feed on the blood of other animals, so they are blood-sucking.

They move thanks to an echolocation system

The bat has a fairly limited vision but is able to move at night thanks to its system of echolocation It could be said that it has a built-in radar, since echolocation is based on mobility in space to starting from perception of sound waves. This procedure so singular In the animal kingdom it is possible because the bat emits sounds that travel through space in the form of waves and this provides information about the situation of its prey.

A haunting animal

The bat is associated with all kinds of ideas and fears. In the first place, when hunting preferably at night it has been considered a nocturnal animal and this characteristic has been used in the

movie theater and the literature as a spooky appearance, especially in the gender Horror.

The fact that some bats feed on blood has fueled their sinister and terrifying image

In the Celtic legends about the celebration of Halloween, the bat had a special role, since the bonfires that were lit on Halloween night attracted mosquitoes which, in turn, attracted the bats

The Oaxaca legend

Regarding its dimension as a disturbing animal, it is worth remembering a popular legend from the Oaxacas. According to tradition of this Mexican indigenous people the bat was originally a beautiful animal and in the language Oaxaca was called Biguidi, which means butterfly naked. One day the bat ascended to the skies to ask the Creator to give it feathers, but as the Creator He did not have them, he sent him back to earth to obtain them by ripping them off from the rest of the birds.

Thus, the bat began to fly proud of its beautiful plumage. However, he became a vain being that showed his abilities while despising other animals. To punish this behavior, the Creator made him return to Heaven and plucked his plumage forever. In this way, the bat's naked body could fly but without the majestic feathers. Since then, the bat has lived in caves and is not seen during the day.

Photos: iStock - Craig Dingle / Craig Dingle

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