Overview
- Researchers tagged 20 fringe‑lipped bats in Panama with synchronized movement‑and‑sound biologgers to reconstruct complete hunts.
- Bats were stationary 89% of the night, with median hunting flights lasting about eight seconds and most flights under three minutes.
- Capture success was roughly 50%, far above rates reported for large mammal predators such as lions and polar bears.
- Average meals equaled about 7% of body weight, with some prey near the bats’ size and handling times reaching up to 84 minutes.
- Data indicate multimodal sensing that includes hearing, vision and echolocation, and older individuals handled larger prey more effectively.