UW's Sharlene Santana talks about the many faces of bats

Bats are nocturnal flying mammals live in cities and rural areas and in most climates around the world - and maybe even in your own backyard.

Sharlene Santana, a University of Washington professor of biology and curator of mammals at the Burke Museum, explains that there are over 1,400 species of bats spanning an incredible diversity. Only three of the species are vampire bats which feed on the blood of birds or mammals. Most bats feed on insects, but diets vary from lizards, birds or mice to fruit and nectar. Bats play a vital role in ecosystems by controlling insect populations, pollinating plants as they move from bloom to bloom, and spreading seeds as they fly and poop.

Видео UW's Sharlene Santana talks about the many faces of bats канала UW (University of Washington)