These Bats Make Tiny Snow Caves

The video explores how snow, despite being cold, serves as an excellent insulator, a fact utilized by the Usurian tube-nosed bat in Asia. These bats create snow dens to hibernate during winter, benefiting from the insulation properties of snow, which traps air and maintains a stable temperature. This adaptation helps them conserve energy and stay hydrated. The video also highlights the rarity of such behavior in mammals, with polar bears being the only other known species to use snow dens. The discovery of this behavior in bats was serendipitous, emphasizing the value of curiosity-driven research.

What is the primary reason Usurian tube-nosed bats build snow dens?

• To find food during winter

• To hibernate and conserve energy

• To socialize with other bats

• To escape from predators

Why is snow considered a good insulator?

• It is made of solid ice

• It contains a high percentage of trapped air

• It reflects sunlight

• It is always at 0 degrees Celsius

How do snow dens help bats in terms of water retention?

• They encourage bats to drink more

• They provide a source of liquid water

• They prevent water loss due to the moist environment

• They allow bats to store water

Which other mammal is known to build snow dens?

• Arctic fox

• Penguin

• Polar bear

• Snow leopard

What accidental discovery led researchers to learn about the snow dens of Usurian tube-nosed bats?

• A bat was found in a tree cavity

• Bats were found in the snow by chance

• A bat was seen flying in the snow

• A bat was caught by a predator