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Posted by on Jan 28, 2016 in TellMeWhy |

Why Do Bats Hang Upside Down?

Why Do Bats Hang Upside Down?

Why Do Bats Hang Upside Down? Bats look very odd, with their mouse-like bodies and their huge wings. They look odd when they sleep, too, because they hang upside down, with their wings draped around their bodies like cloaks.

Bats are quite helpless on the ground because their feet and weak legs are not suited for standing or walking. When a bat rests or sleeps, the easiest thing for it to do is to hang from its hind feet.

Hook-like claws on its toes enable the bat to cling securely to the rough wall of a cave or other roost. To start flying, the bat simply drops into the air from its perch.

Unlike birds, bats cannot launch their bodies into the air from the ground, because their wings don’t produce enough lift to take off. Hanging upside-down is a great way for bats to hide from predators and danger, too.

Content for this question contributed by Liz Russell, resident of Claremont, Los Angeles County, California, USA