Flying Mammals: Quick ID guide to the bats of Africa Chris and Mathilde Stuart Penguin Random House, ISBN: 9781 7758 47281
FOLLOWING the success of the Quick ID Guide books, this slim volume tackles one of the few groups of mammals that can fly.
Divided into large fruit bats and smaller insect-eating bats, the guide covers Africa’s 12 bat families and the informative introduction touches on evolution, flight, echolocation and reproduction. It also attempts to demystify an animal that is all too often misunderstood.
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The text describes the facial characteristics and wing shapes that are common to each family and points out features that can help to distinguish between them. It is the photographs and annotated line drawings that are most useful for identification. The images include bats in flight, at roosting sites as well as close-ups of facial structures and wings that highlight key diagnostic attributes.
An added extra is a photographic section that shows the skulls of a variety bats. It is a valuable guide for anyone with an interest in wildlife and its less common members.
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