„Bats sleep upside down”
Bats hang upside down. Their feet are pointed backwards and their toes automatically clasp under their weight, so hanging upside down is not strenuous for them.
Our native species spend both daytime hours and hibernation in different quarters. These depend on the species and also the season:
Photo: In summer they can be found in attics, tree hollows, cracks in rocks and walls and facades.
Photo: In winter they prefer to stay in cool, damp quarters such as tunnels, cellars, caves and, depending on the weather, also in tree hollows. Attics are rarely used for overwintering and some species even prefer piles of wood.
Hibernation: "Bats sleep through the winter”
Due to the food shortage in winter, native bats hibernate. During this time, they lower their body temperature to 1-2 degrees above the ambient temperature, causing their heart rate, breathing rate and metabolism to slow down significantly. Despite a reduced metabolic rate, energy is consumed, which is why bats store around 20-30% of their body weight as additional fat reserves in autumn. However, if disturbed, they can awaken from hibernation on their own. Bats' energy reserves are not unlimited and each waking process consumes a lot of energy. It’s very important not to disturb hibernating bats.
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