Did you know?

Bats are the only mammals that can fly! Other “flying” mammals like sugar gliders, flying squirrels, and colugos cannot truly fly: they can only glide for short distances. Bats, however, are capable of powered flight for long durations.

Sketch by Amelia Munson
Fact contributed by Allison Lau

For more information on the evolution of bat flight:
Zhang, G., Cowled, C., Shi, Z., Huang, Z., Bishop-Lilly, K. A., Fang, X., … & Tachedjian, M. (2013). Comparative analysis of bat genomes provides insight into the evolution of flight and immunity. Science, 339(6118), 456-460.

For more information on gliding mammals:
Vernes, K. (2001). Gliding performance of the northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) in mature mixed forest of eastern Canada. Journal of Mammalogy, 82(4), 1026-1033.