What a group of bizarre-looking bats can tell us about the evolution of mammals

Bats with skulls and teeth adapted to a wide range of diets are helping scientists understand how major groups of mammals first evolved. By analysing the skulls of a group of bats that feed on everything from nectar to blood, researchers from the US and Imperial College London have identified how the bats have tweaked their development to adapt to different diets.

Tiny GPS backpacks uncover the secret life of desert bats

A new study from the University of Helsinki using miniaturized satellite-based tags revealed that during drier periods desert bats must fly further and longer to fulfil their nightly needs. According to researchers this signals their struggle in facing dry periods. Wildlife tracking has revolutionized the study of animal movement and their behavior.

Local bat colony used in statewide study of potential disease

BENTON, La. -- They are not one of the more common sightings you encounter in our area. Bats usually only come out at night and do not have a great number of dwellings close to homes in urban areas. But there is a biological concern that the bat population in Louisiana may come under attack from an unusual disease.

The manicure helping to save the rarest of bats

One of the world's rarest bats is now confined to a single cave in Western Cuba with less than 750 remaining, according to a population survey. Scientists are highlighting the plight of the animal, saying its last home is vulnerable to collapse. The Cuban greater funnel-eared bat was rediscovered in 1992 after being declared extinct.