Bats Are Incredibly Misunderstood, So Here Are 13 Of The Cutest Bat Species And Facts About Them

Bats are one of the most misunderstood animals in the world, but they are very important to the ecosystem, and they can be absolutely adorable.

Bats around the world — especially the nectar-drinking and fruit-eating bats — are amazing pollinators. They provide fruit they pollinate with a lot more nutrition.

Bats are, as I have said before, extremely misunderstood. They are not blind, for starters. Many bats can see fine at night using echolocation. Not all bats have rabies. Not all bats are blood-sucking vampires. Lots of them prefer fruit.

And today, millions of these beautiful, unappreciated, misunderstood animals are fighting for their lives, and are getting a lot less attention for it than they deserve, and though most of the bats on this list are listed as 'Least Concern,' there are many species that are much more in danger.

So to bring attention to these unique and amazing creatures, here are 13 of the cutest bat species and facts about them

The Honduran White Bat, also known as the leaf-nosed bat, is almost the exact opposite of stereotypical bats. They don't live in caves, they are not darkly colored, and they exclusively eat fruit.
They are a very tiny animal, usually having a length between 1 and 2 inches, and they usually weigh about 0.2 ounces.
They have a yellow leaf-shaped nose and ears. You can find them in the tropical evergreen rain forests of Central America.
The Honduran White Bat is classified under the 'Near Threatened' category of the IUCN Red List.

The California Leaf-nosed Bat is the only bat in North America with such large ears. They also have an erect triangular flap on the nose.
These bats do not migrate or hibernate, as their wings are short and broad and are not ideal for long flights.
These bats prefer to live in caves or mines. They live in various places across North America.
California Leaf-nosed Bats eat various insects such as crickets,some species of beetles, grasshoppers, and even caterpillars. They are also among the few insect-eating bats to supplement their diets with cactus fruit.
These bats are ranked 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List.

Egyptian Fruit Bats are considered megabats, with a two-foot wingspan. It's a highly social species of bat, and they usually roost in caves with thousands of other bats.
The Egyptian Fruit Bat is one of the rare megabat species that use echolocation. They are believed to be the most vocal of all bat species.
They consume a variety of soft fruits, as well as nectar. The Egyptian Fruit Bats can destroy large amounts of fruit crops being grown. Many farmers are using strong pesticides to try and stop them, but these poisons are killing large numbers of these bats.
They can be found in the forests, grasslands, and deserts of Africa and the Middle East.
They are classified as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List

The Indian Flying Fox is one of the largest bats in the world. These bats live in the tropical forests and swamps of South Central Asia.
These bats eat insects, and flowers, which contain juice and nectar. They also eat figs, mango, guava, bananas, etc.
Flying Foxes are great swimmers, they will swim through rivers, using their wings as flippers. They also lose large amounts of water through their wings while they fly, so they require more water than other animals their size.
This bat is classified as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List.

The Big Brown bat can withstand much harsher conditions than other species.
They live in a variety of habitats, ranging from mountains to deserts to meadows to cities. They are found from Canada to northern South America and everywhere in between.
Big Brown bats feed on insects, mostly beetles, but they have also been known to eat mosquitoes, moths, dragonflies, and wasps.
These animals are classified as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List

The Peter's Dwarf Epauletted Fruit Bat are one of the smaller members of the megabats.
They are found in the savannah, grasslands, and bushlands of western, southwestern, and central Africa.
This bat eats fruit and nectar. They also feed on fallen fruit, and like to visit mango groves and banana plantations.
They are classified as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List.

The Brown Long-Eared Bat is known as the 'whispering bat' because they are a very quiet species of bat, as they have incredible hearing due to their large ears.
They live in grasslands, woodlands, towns, and gardens in the UK. They feed mostly on insects, such as moths and other flying insects.
The Brown Long-Eared Bat is classified as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List.

The Eastern Red Bat roosts beneath clusters of leaves during spring, summer and fall. While roosting, they mimic a dead leaf by hanging by one foot, reducing the chance of a predator spotting them.
They live in forests in Kentucky, and are rarely known to live in caves.
Their diet consists of a wide variety of insects, including moths, flies, beetles, cicadas, and crickets.
The Eastern Red Bat is classified as 'Least Concern' by the IUCN Red List

The Lesser Short-Nosed Fruit Bat has very good eyesight, further disproving the myth that bats are blind.
They eat fruit, preferring aromatic fruit, such as mangoes. They also eat nectar and pollen.
These bats are found in northeast India and southern China, among other places. Their habitats are usually forests.
The Lesser Short-Nosed Fruit Bat is classified as 'Least Concern' by the IUCN Red List.

The Spotted Bat will go into something called a torpor in cold weather. This means that its body temperature will fall to match its surroundings and its heart rate will slow.
They live in desert scrub and open forest from Canada, to the USA, and down to Mexico. It is one of the rarest bats in North America.
It eats a variety insects, with moths being its food of choice.
The Spotted Bat is classified as 'Least Concern' by then IUCN Red List

Hoary Bats are not the most social of creatures, preferring to live mostly solitary.
This species of bat is found in south-eastern Canada, Hawaii, Bermuda, and Iceland. Their main habitats are forests.
Their diets are mainly made up of insects, such as moths and mosquitoes.
The Hoary Bat is listed as 'Least Concern' by the IUCN Red List.

The Sulawesi Flying Fox serves as a great pollinator for the plants in their habitats. They can carry large amounts of pollen on their fur and carry it to other plants some distance away, which is very important for plants which rely on cross-pollination.
These bats eat mainly fruit and coconuts.
They are native to Sulawesi, Buton, in Indonesia.
The Sulawesi Flying Fox is listed as 'Vulnerable' by the IUCN Red List.

The Spectacled Flying Fox numbers are declining due to loss of their prime feeding habitats. It has also been seen that they skim over the surface of water to drink and are sometimes eaten by crocodiles.
Their diet mostly consists of fruits, figs, and flowers.
They live in north-east Australia. Their habitats are rainforests.
The Spectacled Flying Fox is classified as 'Endangered' by the IUCN Red List.