Some error occured while loading the Quick View. Please close the Quick View and try reloading the page.
From the tropical rainforests of South America to the deciduous woodlands of the United Kingdom, bats live in highly complex social groups. Whether attracting a mate, forming bonds with their young or maintaining life-saving friendships, they exhibit a huge variety of fascinating social behaviour.
Bats sometimes get a bad press. They have been associated with disease, vampires or evil spirits. However, there is far more to these intriguing mammals than is apparent from a brief glimpse on a moonlit night. Many bats have intricate societies and can even demonstrate an altruistic approach to life.
In this ground-breaking book, a unique group of scientists brings together their wide-ranging experiences of researching bats to tell the story of these animals’ social lives. Each chapter focuses on a particular aspect of sociality, written by a specialist in the area. With over 1,500 bat species identified worldwide, many being crucial to ecosystem function, understanding their social structure is essential for effective conservation strategies. The reader will appreciate the current state of knowledge and gain an insight into the people behind the research. Important outstanding questions are also highlighted.
Accessibly written for a wide audience, this thought-provoking and surprising book is ideal for those with an interest in wildlife, but also for anyone who has simply seen a bat and been curious to learn more about its life.
Christina R. Stanley is Associate Professor in Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Chester, UK. Carrying out research in the field of behavioural ecology with a focus on social behaviour in animals, she has worked with a variety of species including horses, goats, cockroaches and giraffes to name a few. Christina is passionate about communicating scientific research to the general public
1. Introduction
Christina Stanley
DOI: 10.53061/KESD3536
2. Getting to know bats
Daniel Hargreaves
DOI: 10.53061/HIWE2999
3. Mammals are pretty sociable!
Christina Stanley
DOI: 10.53061/MMQN2572
4. Getting on with your housemates
Gloriana Chaverri
DOI: 10.53061/YAGN3576
5. Pushy males, choosy females
Mirjam Knörnschild
DOI: 10.53061/KRMC2204
6. Dining out with friends
Jenna E. Kohles
DOI: 10.53061/ODVE7619
7. A friend in need
Imran Razik
DOI: 10.53061/FWVG1612
8. Mothers and others
Mirjam Knörnschild
DOI: 10.53061/OZNQ6387
9. Time for a nap?
Hannah Bethany Tilley and Alexis Heckley
DOI: 10.53061/FQQI3825
10. Friendships blossom in captivity
Christina Stanley
DOI: 10.53061/EBRC5746
11. Bats in a changing world: how humans have affected bat populations in the Anthropocene
Emma Louise Stone
DOI: 10.53061/FTVG5233
12. Humans and bats – can we get along?
Helen Taylor-Boyd
DOI: 10.53061/MFKU3956
13. Unravelling bat behaviour
Christina Stanley, Camilla Soravia and Lucy Morison
DOI: 10.53061/ZRUE2740