Member-only story
International Bat Appreciation Day: Why We Should Love Bats and Celebrate Their Role in Our World
Happy International Bat Appreciation Day! Forget the scary Hollywood stereotypes of creepy, bloodsucking monsters — today, April 17th, we recognize and celebrate actual real-life bats. These incredible mammals silently protect our environment and contribute heavily to our everyday lives, saving us billions of dollars each year, and helping to provide some of our favorite foods — including chocolate! These tiny superheroes of the night don’t get nearly enough credit, so here are just a few reasons to celebrate and support protecting bats not just today, but every day of the year.
Natural Pest Control
Did you know that one single bat can consume hundreds of mosquitoes in just one hour? In the U.S. alone, bats provide billions of dollars worth of pest control each year! Like miraculously tiny vacuum cleaners, bats gobble up thousands of insects every night and help control the spread of diseases by eating up mosquitoes, protecting and keeping our crops healthy.
