MAMMAL MONDAY # 27

MAMMAL MONDAY # 27

We’re back to our regularly scheduled program this morning and it’s time to meet a flying mammal from the deserts of Northern Africa! That’s right folks, we’re talking bats today and have we found a tough little one for you today! Grab your night vision goggles and let’s head out to the desert on the Mammal Monday!

MEET THE DESERT LONG EARED BAT!

   Range/Habitat: North Africa-Western Asia/deserts

   Diet: Carnivore: insects, scorpions

   Length/Weight: 2 ½-2 ¾”/ 1 oz

   Conservation Status: least concern

Fun Facts:

• Desert Long Eared Bats are one of the few desert dwelling bat species on earth.
• Desert long eared bats roost in groups in caves and buildings.
• Their ears are around 1 ½” long and sit horizontally on their foreheads.
• They are known to go into a hibernation like state during very dry periods or droughts.
• Desert long eared bats often hunt in pairs.
• Their main prey item are scorpions! They even eat very toxic scorpions, including their poison glands.
• When Desert long eared bats attack a scorpion they often get stung on the face without harm, because they are immune to the venom.

WOW! Can you imagine eating a scorpion? We would definitely like to avoid having them on our menus, but these awesome bats don’t only eat them but they are immune to their venom! Animal’s adaptations just never cease to amaze us!