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Hearing Hangin' Tree -- Queens of the Stone Age
Reminiscent of Another Holiday Entirely
Those of you with bat phobias might not want to know about this:
As if nature really needed to endow vampire bats with anything more unusual than the ability to fly and a propensity to drink blood, the creatures have been found to sprint along the ground, too.
All the better to sneak up on a victim, scientists say.
A new study found fleet-footed vampire bats can break into a loping run on all fours, at least when coaxed on a treadmill.
The good news is that there aren't a whole lot of treadmills in the wild. So maybe you're safe for now.
I've personally never understood the bat phobia, anyway. I've always thought they were interesting creatures, and now that I live where there are a substantial number of mosquitoes, I appreciate them even more. It's very cool to watch a bat take wing and suddenly shift in the air when it's echolocated a mosquito snack. I'm glad to have them around. Not sure how I feel about the blood-drinking ones, but as this story suggests, at least I can outrun them on the ground.
Your thoughts on bats?
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I don't know that I have ever really seen a bat. Maybe I did but thought it was a big bird.
I think they are rather cute. I have seen the "vampire" bat on tv. Found it to be really cool.
Kathy -
That's pretty cool. I personally think bats are pretty cute and that they've been given a bad rap. After all, what would Halloween be without them :) Not to mention they eat tons and tons of mosquitos. But who ever thought of putting them on a TREADMILL!?! lol
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My thoughts on bats? They're here:
http://journals.aol.ca/plittle/AuroraWalkingVacation/entrie s/715
Make note, that's part one of a two part entry.
-Paul
http://journals.aol.ca/plittle/AuroraWalkingVacation/ -
I agree with nzforme: I want to know who's giving out grants to put bats on treadmills????
*John, I can speak for the long-haired women at least: its the thought of getting one caught in your hair,all that dirt and flapping!! Ewwwww.....
andi
3/17/05 7:43 PM
Mostly these bats live in the central america area and tend to go for livestock, humans are on the list as a last resort.
Personally I think bats are cute and helpful. Then again I don't have vampire bats in my area. I bought a bat house a few years ago and so far they like it and stick around during the summer and eat all those nasty mosquitos for me.