Product Description

Amazing, fascinating, bizarre are words that barely start to describe the bats of the world. Some are big, some tiny, many eat insects and fruit, yet there are others with more unusual tastes in food - such as the fisherman bat which uses its claws to catch fish or the unjustly demonized blood-eating vampire bats. Bats will not fly into your hair, and they are not blind, though most find their food and avoid obstacles in the darkness of night not by vision but by using their remarkable and highly developed sense of echolocation. Their role in pollination is crucial to the environment in which they live. Bats are full of surprises.

With such a large array of species, bat expert Phil Richardson takes you on a guided tour of the nocturnal world of bats: where they live, how they feed, and how they survive in almost every habitat on the planet. He uses his experiences of bat watching around the world to bring these misunderstood creatures to life, describing their complex life cycles, explaining how you can watch and study bats and help conserve these often threatened mammals. Wherever you live, there are likely to be bats near you, so discover more with the help of this highly readable and beautifully illustrated book.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13682 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Geographical, August, 2002
'...a great insight into the bizarre and amazing world of bats...complemented by fascinating close-up photography...you'll be inspired...'

Birds, Autumn 2002
'This beautifully illustrated softback...reveals a complex lifestyle and social life and senses that are practically impossible for us to imagine.'

Journal of Biological Education (2002) 36 (4)
'...a must for any biology teacher with an imminent field trip, and also provides valuable substance for classroom-based projects.'

Customer Reviews

Two books on Bats; Jan 2008
There are two books on bats by Phil Richardson and both have the same title: "Bats". This has caused a certain amount of confusion and if either of these books are accessed on Amazon, one arrives at the same series of reviews where it is not always clear which book a review refers to. I certainly was confused. Both books are available at present.

The first book was published by Whillet Books in 1985. It was reprinted several times and a revised edition appeared in 2000, which has also been reprinted. It is a very good introduction to bats particularly the 16 species that live in the U.K. The writing is lighthearted and the zany illustrations by Guy Troughton complement the writing excellently. The book is given a very direct feeling by the accounts of the author's hands-on experiences in the field with the Northampton Bat Group. He explains many behaviours but is not afraid to discuss the things that are not understood. If you live in Britain and want an introduction to the bats that live here it is a must.

The second book was published in London in 2002 by the Natural History Museum and reprinted in 2004. This book complements the first excellently but has a completely different feel. Gone is the humour, and the drawings are mainly replaced with excellent photographs. Though British bats have a place, the author looks, mainly, at the differences in behaviour and structure that occur in the 900 odd species that do not occur in the British Isles. Like the first book, echolocation, bat detectors and general construction are considered, but as bats that live in warmer parts of the world do not need to hibernate they can have a very different life style and eat a wider range of food. Almost 1 in 5 of all mammals are bats and if you want an introduction to their diverse world you will not regret buying this book.

The best bat book in the English Language
I already own about 6 bat books, and I think this one is without a shadow of a doubt the BEST. It has everything : great pictures and very well written text. You will enjoy this if you're into bats.

Bats(life series)
This book is truly accessible to the non-scientific reader. Phil Richardson (or Mr. Richardson as I know him from A-Level Chemistry) manages to utilise his teaching experience to ensure the casual reader is not scared off by new scientific terms. This author introduces new scientific words gradually and with care without compromising the quality of the content.

The book is well put together and each section maintains it's own subject content.

On my first parse I read this book from cover to cover in one sitting.

However, the book leaves one question unanswered. Maybe a volume two is in need. I'll be waiting for it.

Magnifique.