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The Animal World - Are There Any Mammals That Fly?

Are there any mammals that fly?

The 986 species of bats belonging to the order Chiroptera are the only truly flying mammals. There are several gliding mammals, however, that are referred to as "flying." Examples of these include the flying squirrel and the flying lemur.

The "wings" of bats are actually double membranes of skin. The skin extends from the bat's back and belly to its hind legs and tail. The membranes are stretched between, and supported by, the elongated fingers of the forelimbs (or arms).

Bats are nocturnal (active at night) and range in length from 1.5 inches (25 millimeters) to 1.3 feet (40.6 centimeters). They inhabit most of the world's temperate and tropical regions, living in caves or crevices.

The majority of bat species eat insects and fruit. Some tropical bat species eat the pollen and nectar of flowers, as well as the insects found inside flowers. Larger bat species prey on small...

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