Living Together

The social life of bats is a complex and multifaceted one of constant interaction between males and females, between females and their pups, and between rivals, relatives, and other bats. Bats can form lasting friendships, they groom each other, they alert each other to danger, they form a united front against inquisitive owls, they steal and share food, and they look after each other’s young. The strategies of co-existence are almost as many as there are bat species. While some form stable, monogamous couples, others live in colonies of millions of individuals. Some live in small family groups or harems that stick together throughout the year (sometimes year after year), others change their groupings according to season.