Wildlife Photographer Shares Rare White Honduran Bats and They're Gorgeous
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In a video posted on September 26, wildlife photographer Rafael Steinlesberger shared some gorgeous footage of rare white Honduran bats huddled together beneath the leafs of heliconia plant.
Check out the following to see these remarkable animals. You have never seen bats like this before!
The video, posted at the TikTok account for wildlife photographer @Rafisteinles explains, "Not only super cute but also one of the smallest bats around measuring about 3-5 cm and known for their white and orange - yellow color!! That flashy tint comes from the bat's fig-diet, storing huge amounts of carotinoid pigments which give their ears and noses the distinct color. At daytime they huddle together beneath the leafs of heliconia plants in so-called leaf tents, which is where we managed to find them! What a pleasure to witness!"
Related: Bat Napping With Its Tiny Tongue Sticking Out Is Just Impossible to Resist
These little fellows actually have a pretty long lifespan for bats, and they usually live between 6-8 years. Another fun fact about these little rascals is that they have a sort of scandalous way of makin' babies known as "harem polygyny." One dominant male in the colony mates with multiple females, and the females give birth to single pups. The dominant male guards the females to prevent other males from mating with them. Wow, promiscuous and jealous!
Honduran white bats are found only in Central America, ranging from Honduras through parts of eastern Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama. They are protected under national and international legislation in many countries to ensure its conservation.
If you would like to enjoy more of the wonderful photography of Rafael Steinlesberger, you can check out his Instagram here.
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