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Northern Bat

Eptesicus nilssonii
Today's animal, the Northern Bat, has a tremendous range. These winged mammals are found throughout northern Europe and Asia, stretching from England all the way over to Japan!

Since they come from cold northern climates, these bats have furry bodies with short ears. They hibernate during the very coldest months, roosting either alone or in very small groups.

In fact, these bats aren't super-social at all, unlike many bat species that can be found in massive colonies. Males are almost always solitary during the summer, while females form little colonies that number a few dozen at the most.

Northern Bats are carnivores, and they hunt insects while in flight. They use echolocation-- sending out sound pulses to locate and identify prey. They hunt primarily at night, though some daylight hunts will occur when the days are especially long in the most northern regions.
IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Europe and Asia
Size : Body length around 8cm, Wingpan up to 28cm
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Chiroptera
Family : Vespertilionidae -- Genus : Eptesicus -- Species : E. nilssonii
Image : Magne Flaten
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