Bat Island - A Rare Journey into the Hidden World of Tropical Bats
Bats are unique among mammals. They have acquired true flight, provide essential ecosystem services, and represent the ecologically most diverse group of mammals worldwide. Nowhere is this diversity more striking than in the tropics. For decades, scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute have studied the remarkable biodiversity of bats on Barro Colorado Island, a small island in the Panama Canal where an astonishing seventy-six bat species coexist. Stunning photography of National Geographic contributor Christian Ziegler pairs with Smithsonian scientists’ expertise for a captivating visual journey into the world of these elusive night creatures. Synthesizing years of intensive study, Drs. Rachel Page, Dina Dechmann, Teague O’Mara, and Marco Tschapka provide insight into how bats perceive their surroundings, navigate, forage, find safe roosts, and maintain social groups. Alongside award-winning photographs that showcase bats’ diverse ecological adaptations and rich natural history, Bat Island communicates the initiatives needed to ensure the survival of these extraordinary animals, which are critical to maintaining healthy, balanced ecosystems.
