Bats: An illustrated guide to all species by MARIANNE TAYLOR
Smithsonian Books RRP $59.95
THIS SURPRISINGLY SMALL hardback book is best appreciated in the hand. One simply cannot tell from a photograph what a little stunner it is. The bold black styling of Bats: An illustrated guide to all species showcases photographs by Merlin D Tuttle, who has worked in bat conservation for more thn 60 years and amassed a catalogue of tens of thousands of images from around the world.
Vivid photographs of bats in flight, or deep in flowers, their faces covered in pollen, illustrate the text, with natural history writer Marianne Taylor ably exploring biology, evolution, behaviour and ecology in the introductory pages. Taylor’s text is razor-sharp; for example, using “laryngeal echolocation” to distinguish between the throat generated sounds of the vast majority of microbats, and the one species of megabat that uses mouth clicks to navigate in dark cave roosts.
In the past, bats were photographed with their wings pulled out on either side, with the terrified wide-open mouth exposing teeth and creating a fearsome demeanour. The relaxed bat is a completely different animal. The species accounts, which comprise the bulk of the book, each feature a portrait of a bat calmly regarding the photographer. The models are often facing the same way, with consistent lighting and background, allowing the reader to see differences in large, superficially similar families such as the Vespertilionidae.
Portraying the most maligned and misunderstood bats in a positive light is Tuttle’s life work: “I learned to photograph bats as an act of desperation. If efforts to conserve bats were to succeed, people needed to see them as they naturally are – gentle, inquisitive, even beautiful.”
One of the sweetest portraits is of a woolly vampire bat, which reminds me very much of a cavalier King Charles spaniel.
Bat taxonomy is a complex field, and the species summaries are presented in the order of the latest taxonomic review. An overview of each family is presented, with distribution, habitat and behaviour described as much as is possible, as many bats are little known or understudied.
The book has photos of 382 species, which is an ample representation of the 1384 species of bats worldwide. Bat lovers will enjoy seeing their favourite animals so superbly presented in text and images.
Those new to bats, especially kids, will absolutely love the portraits, which allow close-up appreciation of the many bat faces which range from adorable to downright grotesque.