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Title: Big bats show puzzling fondness for small places Post by: Orstio on June 21, 2006, 05:32:09 PM http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyid=2006-06-22T011446Z_01_L19739915_RTRUKOC_0_US-ENVIRONMENT-FRAGMENTS-BATS.xml&src=rss
ANALASOA, Madagascar (Reuters) - The startled bats resemble a flock of demonic ravens as they take to the sky, their huge wings spreading over the green canopy of the forest. "They must be disturbed by our presence," said conservation biologist Dr. Richard Jenkins as scores of Madagascar's flying foxes squealed their displeasure at the human intrusion. With wingspans of a meter (3.3 ft) or more, the bats are surprisingly big but their chosen home is small. This ecological oddity intrigues scientists like Jenkins and highlights the importance of protecting small and isolated habitats. |