Cuddly Predators

Spectral bats (Vampyrum spectrumare) are large, carnivorous creatures that snack on rodents, birds, and even other bats. They are not usually described as cute and cuddly. 

Yet, researchers observed a family of spectral bats repeatedly wrapping their wings around each other, cuddling, sharing food, and goofing around, indicating this fearsome species might be more social and cooperative than previously thought. 

“Bats have a negative image,” study author Marisa Tietge told Science. “These kinds of behaviors can help people to understand them as complex, intelligent animals … rather than just seeing them as these untouchable, scary creatures.” 

Despite a three-foot wingspan, these bats are elusive and difficult to study, partly because they roost in small groups high above the ground in the hollow of trees.  

Researchers had to get creative to discover more about the mysterious lifestyle of this species: They set up a motion-activated infrared camera inside the hollow trunk of a Manilkara tree in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica, where they had previously seen four bats roosting, Smithsonian Magazine explained. 

The camera recorded every move by the bats over the course of 60 days, spread across three months, providing scientists with 502 roughly one-minute clips to analyze, including 73 that showed social encounters or other interesting behaviors. 

Researchers are not sure of why the bats engaged in these social behaviors, but they believe it is related to the species’ parental style.  

The family observed was likely made up of an adult male, an adult female, and two pups of different ages, indicating these bats provide an unusually long period of parental care, which is rare in bat species. 

Spectral bats are usually monogamous, with both parents participating in raising the young. A cooperative lifestyle might be crucial in ensuring the survival of their offspring. 

Clips also showed adult bats sharing food with the younger ones, maybe to help them transition from their mother’s milk to solid food, according to researchers. Males were also seen bringing dead birds and mice to nursing females. 

“These are big apex predators, they can bite through bones … but then at the same time, they’re really gentle,” Tietge told Science. 

During meals, there were no fights or displays of aggression, as each bat seemed to intuitively know which parcel of food was for them and which for other family members. An apparent misunderstanding was only recorded once. 

Bats were also spotted leaving the roost together, likely to hunt, which surprised researchers as they previously assumed spectral bats went in search of prey alone. 

While the sample size was small, researchers say that because they know so little about spectral bats, every new observation is important. 

“The cool thing about [this research] is that such a nice roost was found and the complete group was studied for some time … which is rather unique and difficult data to collect,” Gloriana Chaverri, a behavioral ecologist not involved in the study, told Science.