Bats Are the Only Flying Mammals

Contrary to what creatures like the flying squirrel would have you believe, there’s only one mammal in the animal kingdom that can truly fly: bats. These nocturnal creatures accomplish flight thanks to their strong chest muscles that power the movement of their wings. Their wings are different than a bird’s, however. Instead of feathers over fused bones, bats have thin membranes that stretch across elongated finger bones. It’s essentially like a human hand, but with flexible webbing stretched between the bones that gives them finer control over their flight movements.   

Once in flight, some bat species can reach over 100 miles per hour. It’s a good thing they do fly, as bats are responsible for pollinating some of our favorite foods, like bananas, mangoes, and avocados, not to mention cacao, the primary ingredient in chocolate.