Bats are the only mammals with true, powered flight. Unlike the gliding flight of flying squirrels and lemurs, bats use their wings for active flight. Like other mammals, bats are warm blooded (endothermic), covered in fur and feed their newborn offspring with milk.

Bats are one of the most diverse groups of mammals on the planet. There are over 1,400 species currently known and they are found all over the world, with the exception of the Arctic, Antarctic and a few Oceanic islands.