Do Old Rats Turn Into Bats?
WouterIf you’ve been wondering whether old rats turn into bats, you’re not alone. This disease has been causing huge mortality among bats in New England. In fact, by 2012, over six million had died from it. Since then, it’s spread to 33 states and seven Canadian provinces, as well as Texas and Wyoming. Recently, it has even caused an outbreak in Washington, D.C. No one knows how to stop the disease or cure it. And no one can predict how many will succumb to it.
Bats are true carnivores and eat insects and small rodents. They also catch birds and lizards. Some bats have adapted to eat fish and aquatic invertebrates. But three species of bats are true vampires. They have long, narrow wings that can support them in flight.
Although bats are often regarded as flying mice, they are actually small rodents that are more closely related to primates and humans. Bats are similar to rats in many ways, but they live much longer. Bats can live for up to 35 years, while rats may only live for one or two years. Bats also have fewer pups than rats; female bats give birth to one young per year.
Despite their close resemblance to rodents, bats are not closely related to them. Their tiny bones make them poor fossils. In fact, researchers previously believed that bats were closely related to primates. However, genome analysis has shown that bats belong to a different superorder, which also includes whales and pangolins.
