Bats ‘see’ in the dark using a special skill called echolocation. Bats make noises and wait for the sound waves to bounce back off objects (an echo), then if it doesn’t bounce back then they can safely fly forward. They can tell the distance of various objects by how quickly the sound waves bounce back to them.

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Bats are the only true flying mammals in the world. They are also more closely related to humans than they are to mice.

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Bat droppings, also known as guano, are high in potassium nitrate (saltpeter) and are often used as fertilizer. The saltpeter can also be extracted for use in gunpowder and explosives -which it was during the American Civil War.

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Bats can live more than 30 years and can fly at speeds of up to 60 mph.

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Bats can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes an hour. Often, bats consume their body weight in insects every night, helping keep bug populations in check.

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Most bats have only one pup a year, making them extremely vulnerable to extinction. Bat mothers can find their babies among thousands or millions of other bats by their unique voices and scents.

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Bats have one-way valves in their arteries to prevent the blood from flowing backwards. This is why they are able to hang upside down without the blood rushing to their heads