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Texas State Flying Mammal:
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Texas designated the Mexican free-tailed bat as official state flying mammal in 1995. Bats are intelligent, unique mammals facing multiple threats of ignorance, suspicion, poisoning, roost destruction, habitat loss, and over-exploitation. Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) live in caves in the southern US, Central and South America. Their colonies are the largest congregations of mammals in the world. The largest colony found in (near San Antonio) has nearly 20 million bats, which eat around 250 tons of insects per night! Flights like the one pictured above may travel hundreds of miles and fly to an altitude of 3,000 meters to feed on insects at night.
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Source: |
Mexican Free-Tailed Bat: The Wild Ones Animal Index
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Links: |
Test your Batting Average: Wind Cave National Park
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* Photo of bat close-up was copied on 09/19/04 from Texas Parks & Wildlife Department's Web Site: www.tpwd.state.tx.us. Neither this website, nor the information presented on this website, is endorsed by the State of Texas or Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. |
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Texas Symbols & Icons: |
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air force - tie |
mammal 1-2-3 |
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