The genius bat The secret life of the only flying mammal

Ecologist and neurobiologist Yovel shares the fruits of his decades of field and lab research on bats in this standout work of popular science. The almost 1,500 species of bats around the world, he explains, account for 20% of all mammalian species. Bats come in all shapes and sizes and have varying behaviors. Vampire bats, for example, engage in "reciprocal altruism," preferring to share the blood that forms their diet with others who had previously done the same with them, and Africa's male hammer-headed bats make sounds akin to the beeping of truck horns to attract females. Yovel chronicles the "arms race" between bats and the insects they eat, noting some prey have evolved to detect and "jam" bats' echolocation calls. Yovel also details his own contributions to bat science, including his work attaching over 1,000 GPS devices to bats in more than 10 countries to understand what life is like for these mammals. He's come to believe they are conscious creatures; "the vampire bat that returns home after a sleepless night and feeds a hungry member of its colony must have some consciousness." Yovel's passion and curiosity will leave readers with a greater appreciation for the wonders and mysteries of the bat world. This is a revelation. (Oct.)

Ecologist and neurobiologist Yovel (Tel Aviv Univ.) shares his deep knowledge of bat behavior and the over 50 years of research that has enhanced human understanding of the only flying mammal. Bats are more closely related to cetaceans (whales) and ungulates (hooved mammals) than rodents. They are pollinators and an essential mode of insect control. Yovel's study of bats ranges worldwide and encompasses a fantastic variety of these creatures. He examines bats that use echolocation to hunt and how some species' facial features enhance and direct the sound beams they emit. His story tells the evolution of research methods and equipment that scholars in the field have used. He tracks the prehistoric record of bat development shown in fossils. Yovel also notes modern threats to bats, particularly wind turbines, the fungal white nose syndrome, and habitat destruction caused by humans. As a researcher, Yovel shares detailed accounts of catching and working with bats, including gaining their trust to study their behavior. VERDICT Yovel's enthusiasm for these little creatures is infectious. Recommended for academic libraries for its examples of animal research.--Caren Nichter