The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats: Demystifying These Often-Misunderstood Creatures by Alyson Brokaw

In this fascinating science book, a behavioral and bat ecologist reintroduces readers to bats, redeeming their historically bad reputation.

These woefully misunderstood creatures dwell in darkness, inspire fear, and threaten danger. They've been viewed as the pawns of evil deities and taken the undeserved blame for the spread of deadly viruses. The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats provides a fresh introduction to these curious flying mammals, explaining how they experience the world through unique senses, where and how they fly, the origins of their complex relationships with humans, and how we can learn from them--not only to coexist, but potentially grow healthier and wiser together.

Over 180 personality-filled photographs showcase the rich diversity of bats from all over the world.

Review Quotes:
"A striking layout and a wealth of information make this an appealing text...this highly detailed, richly illustrated text is a useful resource." -- Booklist

Behavioral ecologist and science communicator Alyson F. Brokaw's professional passion is communicating about the diversity and biology of bats, as well as combating myths that they are scary or dangerous. Her affinity for these amazing creatures led her to study how they use their sense of smell during hunting and social communication as she earned her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Texas A&M University. Since then, she has studied wildlife around the world, including Mexico, Belize, Panama, Argentina, and Tanzania, while also publishing multiple articles in peer-reviewed journals on bat behavior and other topics. She is a narrator for March Mammal Madness and an active science communicator on social media (where her handle is @alyb_batgirl). When not talking your ear off about bats, she can be found chasing down discs on the ultimate frisbee field, cuddling with her dog, or with her nose buried deep in a fantasy novel. Learn more about Alyson and her research on her website www.alysonbrokaw.com.

Timber Press

Pub Date: February 11, 2025

0.8" H x 8.9" L x 7.9" W

312 pages

paperback