Eastern Red Bat, Galapagos
Overview
The Red bat is a widespread bat species that feeds primarily on insects including moths, flies, true bugs, beetles and cicadas. They are a small bat species, with blunt ears, reddish-orange fur, and frosted white tips. This species is nocturnal, spending most of the day hanging from one foot, camouflaged against similarly coloured trees. This practice allows them to effectively hide from predators. The species comes active at night, where they may eat 20-50 per cent of their body weight in one night! Fascinatingly, these species will often follow the same path every night, an insect highway. Eastern red bats are typically solitary creatures unless they are within a family group which is composed of a mother and her young. Studies and observations show that the Galapagos red bat is present only on the islands of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, and Floreana.
Fun Fact
Eastern Red Bats are often seen during the night hunting for insects around street lamps. *Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight. They contain a flexible membrane that connects their four extremities and allows them to fly. The membrane is used as a brake, a steering guide, and a trap for insects during flight. It is also used for regulating temperature at night by wrapping themselves within for warmth when temperatures drop at night.
