Unlike birds,bats might use a different magnetic compass to navigate

Bats, the only mammals known to possess the real ability to fly, have fascinated zoologists for a long time with their long-distance migration. How do they find their way home from an altitude of kilometers above sea level, where their stunt of ultrasonic echolocation does not work？ Recent discoveries supported the theory that bats might be able to use magnetic clues to figure out their own position,just like what birds do. However, the latest results from a joint study by a group of researchers from the CAS, East China Normal University and University of Auckland reveal that bats apply an interesting strategy different from the one underlying birds＇ orientation technique, though they both are believed to derive information about their position from the subtle changes in the magnetic field of the Earth.     

Wings of the night: The natural history of bats

For most of us, bats are one of the most enigmatic creatures that normally evoke a sense of mystery, fear and even revulsion. The main reasons for this pitiable attitude towards these animals are rampant myths and misconceptions about them that prevail in our society. The following article is an attempt to present these animals in scientific light and to dispel any misconception about these misunderstood creatures. Uttam Saikia is working with the Zoological Survey of India at High Altitude Zoology Field Station, Solan in Himachal Pradesh.