National Bat Appreciation Day
National Bat Appreciation Day on April 17 celebrates one of the most misunderstood and ecologically critical animals on Earth — the only flying mammal, a pollinator of agaves and fruits across the Americas, a pest controller on a massive scale, and a species currently collapsing from white-nose syndrome. Bats save American agriculture an estimated $3-23 billion per year in pest control alone.
Why it matters
PROTECTORS OF THE NIGHT
It’s National Bat Appreciation Day. On April 17, America honors the only flying mammal — 48 native species, billions of dollars in pest control, and an urgent conservation crisis. Bats matter.
THE STORY
Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight. There are about 1,400 bat species worldwide — more than one in five mammal species is a bat. North America has 48 native species, ranging from the 3-gram bumblebee-sized Kitti’s hog-nosed bat (not US) to the 2-pound flying foxes (not US — but the American spotted bat and hoary bat are the largest native species). All US bats are insectivores or nectar-feeders; no US bats drink blood (vampire bats are Latin American).
Bats are ecologically critical. A single Mexican free-tailed bat consumes about half its body weight in insects every night — 5,000-10,000 mosquitoes, moths, and beetles per bat. Multiplied across millions of bats, this represents massive natural pest control. A 2011 study in Science estimated US agriculture saves $3-23 billion per year thanks to bat-mediated pest control alone. Some bats (notably the lesser long-nosed bat) are also essential pollinators — agave plants, which produce tequila and mezcal, rely on bat pollination.
The defining bat crisis of our era is white-nose syndrome — a fungal disease (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) discovered in New York in 2006. The fungus grows on bats’ noses and wings during hibernation, causing them to wake too often and starve. White-nose syndrome has killed an estimated 6+ million bats in North America since 2006. Some species have declined 90%+ — the little brown bat, once the most common US bat, is now rare in parts of its former range. It’s one of the worst wildlife disease crises in American history, ongoing today.
Bat conservation is led in America by Bat Conservation International (founded 1982 by Merlin Tuttle, the iconic bat biologist and photographer). Their work includes white-nose syndrome research, bat-house campaigns, and cave-protection programs. The Mexican free-tailed bat colony at Bracken Cave (Texas) — 20 million bats, the largest colony on Earth — is protected by BCI. Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge colony (1.5 million bats) has become a major tourist attraction. Bats need conservation allies more than ever; April 17 is the day to become one.
The bat, it’s said, is neither bird nor beast. It is an extraordinary creature in its own class — and we are losing them faster than we’re learning them.
FOUR ICONIC AMERICAN BAT SPECIES
From tiny to massive, diverse and crucial:
Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
Texas’s favorite — forms the largest bat colonies on Earth (Bracken Cave: 20M bats). Can fly 60+ mph. Migrates to Mexico for winter. Austin’s Congress Bridge has 1.5M.
Little Brown Bat
Historically the most common US bat. Eats its body weight in mosquitoes nightly. Populations have crashed 90%+ from white-nose syndrome. Now critically endangered in many states.
Hoary Bat
Largest US bat (1 oz); solitary tree-rooster. Frost-tipped fur gives ‘hoary’ name. Migrates long distances. Major wind-turbine mortality victim.
Lesser Long-Nosed Bat
Desert nectar-feeder; essential agave pollinator. Without these bats, there would be no wild tequila. Removed from US endangered list in 2018 — a conservation success.
AMERICAN BAT STRONGHOLDS
Where to find — and protect — the nation’s bats:
DID YOU KNOW?!
Bats are more closely related to humans than mice are.
Bats are in the order Chiroptera; humans are primates. Both are placental mammals in superorder Laurasiatheria. Genetic studies show bats are closer to humans than rodents are — despite superficial resemblance.
Only 3 of 1,400 bat species drink blood.
The ‘vampire bat’ stereotype applies only to 3 Latin American species. None are in the US. Nearly all bats are insect-eaters, fruit-eaters, or nectar-feeders. Most Americans live around bats and never see one.
Bat echolocation is 10x more precise than radar.
Bats emit ultrasonic pulses (20-200 kHz, beyond human hearing) and interpret echoes to navigate. They can distinguish objects as small as a human hair at 10 feet. Among the most sophisticated biological sensors known.
White-nose syndrome jumped from Europe.
The fungus causing white-nose syndrome evolved in European bats, where it’s largely harmless. It arrived in North America (probably on a caver’s gear) around 2006. European bats have resistance; North American bats do not. A cautionary tale about accidental species introductions.
READ & LEARN
The Secret Lives of Bats
Merlin Tuttle · 2015
Merlin Tuttle, founder of Bat Conservation International, shares 50 years of bat fieldwork. Photos, stories, science. The definitive popular bat book.
Bats: An Illustrated Guide to All Species
Marianne Taylor · 2019
A beautifully illustrated guide to bats worldwide — species accounts, ecology, conservation. Perfect coffee-table companion for the curious.
The Bat Book
Charlotte Montague · 2017
Accessible introduction to bat biology, ecology, and conservation. Great family reading; good for middle-schoolers curious about wildlife.
PAIR IT WITH
Bat documentaries: ‘The Dark: Nature’s Nighttime World’ (BBC), ‘Cave People of the Himalaya.’ Nature channel classics.
Live bat emergence: Austin’s Congress Bridge, Carlsbad Caverns, or any local wildlife refuge with a bat program.
Merlin Tuttle’s ‘Secret Lives of Bats.’ Or for kids, Janell Cannon’s ‘Stellaluna’ — a classic bat picture book.
Install a bat house. Donate to Bat Conservation International. Follow white-nose syndrome research.
Bats Need Us
Tag us @celebrationnation with #BatAppreciationDay. Share your bat photos, emergence videos, or bat-house installations. Protecting bats protects us all.
How to celebrate
Watch, learn, conserve:
- 🌙 Watch an evening bat emergence. Austin, TX's Congress Avenue Bridge has 1.5M Mexican free-tailed bats that emerge at dusk; it's a nightly tourist event. Bracken Cave is even larger.
- 🏠 Install a bat house. A properly-built bat house houses dozens of bats and provides natural mosquito control. Bat Conservation International has plans.
- 🦇 Visit a bat cave. Carlsbad Caverns (NM), Mammoth Cave (KY), or any National Park with bat tours. Most run in April-October.
- 💰 Donate to Bat Conservation International. The leading bat conservation organization; funds white-nose syndrome research.
- 📖 Read 'Bats: An Illustrated Guide to All Species.' Marianne Taylor's visual guide is accessible and beautiful.
Celebration ideas by audience
For families
Evening bat-watching at a local park. Most American parks have some bat population; they emerge at dusk. Bring binoculars and patience.
For kids
Kids love bats (post-Batman, pre-real-science). Books: 'Stellaluna' for young kids; 'Bat Loves the Night' for older. Most zoos have bat exhibits.
For couples
Congress Avenue Bridge at dusk (Austin) or a local bat house installation project. Nature-together outings.
At the office
A company bat-house installation is a team-building environmental project. Contact your state wildlife agency for guidance.
At school
Bats are a classic ecology curriculum topic. Bat Conservation International has free lesson plans for K-12.
In your community
Many cities have April bat events — Austin, Tucson, Gainesville. Community bat-house builds and educational walks.
On your own
Read. Merlin Tuttle's 'The Secret Lives of Bats' is the definitive popular science book on the subject.