The lion is an undisputed contender for the planet’s most iconic predator, but a new study indicates there is an underdog contender coming for its top spot. Or, more accurately, an under-bat. According to researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, small flying mammals such as the fringe-lipped bat (Trachops cirrhosus) aren’t only comparable to a lion in terms of efficient hunting. They’re also often far more successful at getting the job done. The proof is laid out in a study appropriately published on October 31 in the journal Current Biology.
The findings come from data collected by miniature biologging tags that were attached like backpacks to 20 fringe-lipped bats in the rainforests of Panama. These sensors recorded each wearer’s every sound and movement, as well as similar information from its surrounding environment. Biologists discovered that the winged hunters tracked comparatively large prey like birds, frogs, and other small mammals by adopting a “hang-and-wait” strategy. Using their acute sense of hearing, the bats could then zero-in on their unsuspecting targets as they neared, then quickly attack while expending very little overall energy. Bats spent 89 percent of their time hanging in place, and typically spent less than three minutes flying. By comparison, a hunting excursion only lasted eight seconds on average.
The size of their prey also surprised the study’s authors. An average meal for a fringe-lipped bat weighed about seven percent of its own body weight. That’s similar to a 154 pound person consuming an 11 pound meal. In some instances, however, prey like the roughly 20 gram Rosenberg’s gladiator tree frog weighed nearly as much as its devourer. Those dining sessions took time, too. The longest meal recorded by the biologgers tallied 84 minutes. Like many big cats, the bats then spent most of the remainder of the night resting.
“It was incredible to discover that these bats hunt like big predators trapped in tiny bodies,” study co-author Leonie Baier said in a statement. “Instead of spending the night constantly on the wing, they wait patiently, strike with high precision, and sometimes end up catching enormous, energy-rich prey. The discovery that an animal this small can do this really turned our assumptions upside down.”
When it comes to success rates, there simply is no comparison. Fringe-lipped bats caught their prey about half the time. For reference, lions only catch around 14 percent of their prey, while polar bears can grab as little as two percent of their targets. The bats also often improved with age, suggesting that they hone their hunting skills over time. Researchers have previously confirmed that the species recognizes specific frog calls for years at a time, and gains new strategies by watching their fellow bats.
“We wanted to understand what these bats are actually doing out there in the dark–so we listened in, much like the bats themselves listen to their prey,” said study co-author Laura Stidsholt.
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