What Advantage Do Bats Gain From Being Able To Echolocate?
Being able to echolocate – use sound for navigation makes it easy for bats to colonize caves and hollows – habitats that had been neglected by other mammals, except as temporary shelters. This ecological niche probably contributed to their survival in prehistoric times, as they were not having to compete with other animals for a place to live. Bats would have also rarely met predators in the caves that they colonised, so they could afford to sacrifice their manoeuvrability on the ground for agility in the air. They therefore become the specialised flying hunters. Their success can be judged by the vast number of bat species – at least 951 (probably with more yet to be discovered) – accounting for nearly a quarter of all mammal species. They are second only to the rodents in size and diversity, and are found in all the continents of the world, except in the polar regions and on the highest mountains.
