Catskill Creatures - Softcover

Über die Autorinnen und Autoren

Nancy Furstinger is the author of nearly 100 books, including many on her favorite topic: animals! She started her writing career in third grade, when her class performed a play she wrote while recovering from chicken pox. Since then, Many has been a feature writer for a daily newspaper, a managing editor of trade and consumer magazines, and an editor at two children's book publishing houses. She shares her home and heart with big dogs, house rabbits, and a chinchilla (all rescued), and volunteer and fosters pets for several animal organizations. Nancy has been speaking ups for animals since she learned to talk and she hasn't shut up yet! Please adopt, don't shop.

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Big and Little Brown Bat

Millions of years ago, bats soared among the dinosaurs. Today's bats keep the same schedule, swooping out at dusk and disappearing at dawn.

Bats are the only flying mammals. Wings of elastic skin spread out from the sides of their furry bodies. Bats can fly in total darkness by using echolocation. They bounce sounds off of nearby objects. Then they judge distances by the time required for the echo to return. The big brown bat zooms through the Catskills at speeds up to forty miles per hour. His smaller relative, the little brown bat, flies between twenty to thirty mph.

Bats have huge appetites. On the menu are night-flying insects such as beetles, moths and mosquitoes. One little brown bat can gobble 1,200 insects in just an hour! Bats are nature's original bug zapper. They reduce the need for harmful pesticides.

Baby bats are born tail first. They are blind and naked. The mother bat gives birth to usually just one baby bat, called a pup, each year. She gives birth upside down, hanging by her feet and thumbs.

Big and little brown bats live in tree hollows and buildings. Each winter they hibernate for up to seven months. These bats can decrease their heart rate to between ten to twenty beats per minute.

Bats gained a bad rap as evil creatures because of their appearance. However, these night-flying goblins will not suck your blood or get tangled in your hair. Never handle bats and you'll have nothing to fear.