Bats: Glossary

A

audible

able to be heard or to hear

assistive device

an invention or tool that helps people with disabilities perform tasks or activities

C

Chiroptera

scientific name for bats

carnivores

meat eaters

clotting

the process of blood that allows it to stop flowing from an injury

conservation

protecting nature and its resources

D

distinctive

unique, like no other

E

echo

a sound reflected from a surface

echolocation

natural ability of some animals to use echoes for locating food and navigation

economy

the system of how money, goods and services are produced and used within a country or region

elevated

a high point, a position of significant height

erratic

unpredictable, not in a regular pattern

essential

necessary or critical

excrement

body waste or poop

F

fangs

sharp teeth that can pierce food or skin

fertilizer

a material that improves the soil

G

germinate

to begin growth

guano

bat poop (see "excrement")

H

habitat

environment where an animal lives

hibernation

the practice of sleeping through winter to conserve energy

I

insectivore

animal whose diet is insects

L

litter

a group of animal babies born at one time to a mother animal

M

mammal

animals that have live births, feed milk to their young and have hair or fur

maneuver

move position with agility and purpose

migration

a pattern of moving from one location to another, depending on seasonal changes

N

nectar

the sweet liquid produced by a flowering plant

nocturnal

animals that hunt at night and sleep during the day

P

pesticides

chemicals used to kill insect pests

pollinate

to move pollen from one part of a plant to another

potential

possible, may come into being in the future

predators

animals who hunt other animals for food

puncturing

to poke a hole

R

rabies

an infectious disease

retractable

able to be pulled back in

rodents

small nibbling mammals such as mice, rats, and squirrels

roost

bat living area

S

saliva

spit

sonar

a method of finding objects underwater by sending and reflecting sound waves

stroke

a medical condition where a blood vessel in the brain bursts or is blocked, causing damage to the brain

T

tropics

regions of the earth near the equator with a moist, warm climate

U

urban

city environment

V

vaccine

a substance developed by scientists to protect people or animals from a specific disease

vegetarian

animal whose diet is plants

W

white-nose syndrome

serious fungal disease among North American bats that disrupts their winter hibernation, causing them to wake up before spring and leading to starvation and death