Bats, although
they fly are not birds but they are mammals. Unlike birds, bats have trouble
with takeoffs from the ground. Their wings are not as strong as those of birds
and they cannot run fast enough to build up flight speed. Bats have an easier
time flying when they start already in the air. They use their front claws on
their wings to climb to a high spot and launch themselves to achieve flight.
Another reason
they hang upside down is because a bat’s talons or back claws work opposite of
most muscles. In fact, their knees face backwards. When they relax, special
tendons lock the toes and talons in place, so they do not exert energy while
hanging. Once their toes and legs are locked in place, their body weight and
gravity keep them hanging. By flexing leg muscles, the toes and talons release
and flight begins.
Humans cannot
hang upside down as blood rushes to the head and tends to pool or collect. But
the bat’s compact, small size allows their heart to easily distribute the small
volume of blood even when upside down.
Because of their
unique physical abilities, bats can safely roost in places where predators
cannot get them. To sleep, bats hang themselves upside down in a cave or hollow
tree, with their wings draped around their bodies like cloaks. They hang upside
down to hibernate and even upon death.
