These bats are relatable to the plight we have today as they also wear a mask at times. But why do they do this and what else do they do? Let's find out what else we can learn about what many call the "world's ugliest bat."
Physical Description and Behavior
The wrinkle-faced bat is a medium-sized bat that has no tail and is covered with light brown fur. They are about 3 inches long and they weigh less than a single ounce.
Fun Fact: When males are ready to woo the ladies, they will flock down to the females in larger numbers. Then, they take the flap of skin located under their chin (this skin flap is not present in females) and wear it as a face mask. They then twitch their wings as they sing in a supersonic pitch through the mask as a way to court the ladies. It is not entirely sure why the bats do this, but it is fun to watch.
These bats are frugivorous, but it is not entirely certain what fruits they consume. They do have a pouch in their cheeks that helps them to hold fruit to be eaten at a later time. These wrinkly bats have a stronger bite than most other bats, but it is believed that this may be to help them eat tougher fruits when soft fruit is not as readily available.
Habitat and Location
These bats prefer to live in thick forests, as it helps them to find fruit more effectively and to hide from predators. These bats can be found from the bottom part of Mexico, all the way through the Panama Canal, and all the way down to the northern tips of Columbia and Venezuela.
They are considered to be of Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List.
Learn a little more about them by watching the video below:
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