Major Funding The Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation



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

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