Union of Concerned Scientists

By Darci Palmquist "The floor of the cave was littered with dead bats." 95% of insect-eating bat populations could be lost in the very near future!  

http://www.care2.com/news/member/172225705/856983

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Bats are so cute...they really are.  This is just horiffic news!!!!  They do so much unseen by us for us, it would truley be a shame if we lost any of them....

Big Gorilly HUgs

Up to 95% lost in the very near future! That is not good at all. Hope a solution can be found before it's to late.

First the bees, now the bats... what's next? Humans?

Kind of reminds of the canaries in the coal mines dying off... warning, warning, warning.

We really need the bats to get mosquitos and bugs at night. Some of them are very cute and some are just scary. I used to watch them come out and dive bomb insects at dusk. They do do many things to help mankind and in the SWest they need them to protect the crops and people cause they have waaaay toooo maaannnnyyyy insects. Warning, don't be near a bat cave at dusk cause when they come out....they come out in style

You may want to go for an Industrial Hemp farm first, Sandy.

Mosanto, a name that keeps popping up as an environmental Frankenstein, as in both the creator and the creation.

"There are many possible theories virus, bacteria, pesticide build-up..."

"Bats can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes and other insects a night..."

Tropical diseases continue to spread to new latitdues and longitudes as the climate warms. Losing a large percentage of the bat population, will only contribute to the spread of diseases within humanity.

Save the Bats, save the Bees, save your neighbors and save 'We'.

Hehehe...bats aren't cute, they have rabies, but they are God's creatures too. Let's save them anyway.

P.S. Only saying that because we get them in our house and have to get the cats rabies shots. Last one I caught I released back into the wild instead of killing it though. Realized I had to do my part.

Hey all I happen to think Bats are cute. Honestly one of my friends had a Bat for a pet they seriously are awesome. No we never got rabies. I personally love Bats. Bats have great doo doo for the garden also! Guao rules

Sorry all spiders, bats, bugs kk I love them all. Bees have a hive under my workshop where they will stay safe and sound! I plant flowers for them as well.

Vampire bats are found throughout Central and South America.

Myths and legends from all over the world portray bats as blood-sucking demons. Vampire bats really do exist, but only three species in Central and South America.

The vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) have a wingspan of about eight inches and a body about the size of an adult's thumb. If not for their diet, people would not pay much attention to these small bats. Vampire bats feed on the blood of large birds, cattle, horses, and pigs. However, they donÕt suck the blood of their "victims".

Using their sharp teeth, the bats make tiny cuts in the skin of a sleeping animal. The bats' saliva contains a chemical that keeps the blood from clotting. The bats then lap up the blood that oozes from the wound. Another chemical in their saliva numbs the animal's skin and keeps them from waking up.

A vampire bat finds its prey with echolocation, smell, and sound. They fly about one meter above the ground. Then they use special heat sensors in their noses to find veins that are close to the skin.

Scientists have discovered that vampire bat saliva is better at keeping blood from clotting than any known medicine. Vampire bats may one day help prevent heart attacks and strokes. Vampire bats are one of the few bat species that are considered a pest. In Latin America, cattle raising is a growing business, and sleeping cattle attract vampire bats. In ranching areas, control programs have been started. However, millions of beneficial bats are destroyed by people who mistake them for vampires.

Vampire bats do feed on blood, but they won't attack a human and suck blood from the neck.

http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/vampire.html

They are the cutest little creatures!

Three of our favorite vampire bats are Twoey, Tink, and Wizard. These three bats were orphaned at a young age and raised by OBC's director Kim Williams. They are very tame, and although they live with the colony, love human interaction.

Bats are extremely important. Yet due to years of unwarranted human fear and persecution, bats are in alarming decline. By installing a bat house you are helping the local bat population by giving a bat colony a house to call home.

Be aware that, not all bat houses are built properly. Short and stout bat houses tend to have little chance of attracting bats, where longer, wider bat houses are ideal. Older bat house designs only have about a 10% bat occupancy rate. The Organization for Bat Conservation bat house design is enjoying an 80% bat occupancy rate.

http://batroost.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=200

I have seen vampire bats feed on animals and didn't find them cute at all. They have some big fruit bats in Australia that are adorable. Our little fruit bats in the SW are really cute. My niece tried to hide one, during daylight as a pet until we found it and it was very sick. All animals have the potential to carry rabies, not all bats have rabies. I have had some stange pets, horned lizard, lizards, desert tortise, various birds, squirrels, whatever needed help or a home, rabbits, barn owls, calves. Never really think any of them are ugly but avoid snakes or try to, don't kill rattlers or anything when we cross paths. Hate spiders but moved baby trantulas out of danger from people. What can I say. I would gladly put up a bat box in my yard and am still bitching to my husband to build it.

They are cute little tree huggers. I hope we can stop what is killing them!

Bats are not really dangerous...

BUT....

beehive hairdoos and bats don't mix.

Nowdays with the emo hair it's pretty low risk...