Rabies-bearing terrors that infest your attic? Bloodthirsty familiars for witches and vampires? Or whimsical flying mammals with an ultrasonic superpower?
Bats are a fearful animal for many people, yet they’re also an immensely diverse and unique group of creatures. They are the second-most numerous group of mammals, comprising 20% of all mammal species. With an incredible variety of diets (no, not just blood!), social behaviors, and physiology, bats are definitely much more than the typical Halloween cut-out shape suggests!
The fear of bats is called Chiroptophobia, but in my opinion, this phobia stems from a misunderstanding of these amazing creatures. And if pop culture is any indication, bats have far more potency as a cultural symbol than as a source of fear.
Dracula’s shapeshifting power
Virtually every portrayal of Dracula, from Buffy’s broody emo version to Gary Oldman’s lavish scenery-chewing portrayal of Dracula in Coppola’s film of the same name, features a bat as one of the iconic monster’s shapeshifting forms.
Although there are only 3 species of blood-drinking bats out of 1,000 total bat…
