Why do bat hang upside down when sleeping?

When resting or sleeping, bats always hang upside down, head down, using claws of the hind limbs to hook into the gap of cliffs, walls, rafters .

When entering a large mountain cave that rarely has human footprints, it is often found on the top of the cave wall that hangs hundreds of bats. Big mountain cave is the place where bats like to reside the most.

Big mountain cave is the place where bats like to reside the most.

Many bats like to live in abandoned houses or under the porch, when they rest or sleep, always hanging upside down, head down, using claws of the hind limbs to hook into the slot.

If we put a bat on the ground, we can see that it will use the claws of the first toe of the first limb and the five fingers of the hind limb to crawl, until climbing up an upright wooden tree or on the wall. Then the wall started fluttering. Why don't bats lie down or lie down and hang upside down like that?

When sleeping, bats turn their heads down and their feet cling firmly to something to supply enough blood to the brain, helping to slow down the metabolism of blood.This sleeping position also helps the bat escape quickly when needed.

Unlike birds or insects, the bat's skin wings are not strong enough to easily lift them from the ground to the air. Therefore, when resting, bats always choose an upper position so that when they need to fly, they just drop themselves, taking advantage of the air resistance to support the takeoff.

Hanging upside down helps the bat quickly escape when there is danger.

In addition, when winter comes, the bat also hangs upside down to hibernate , thus reducing contact with the top of the cold cave . Or there are some bats that can bury their heads and bodies into the winged membranes, and with the soft, thick fur growing on them, it can effectively separate them from the cold air outside.

Naturally, hanging upside down on a cave rather than stopping elsewhere is much safer . This habit of living and the defensive instinct of bats are the result of the long evolution of animals.

However, according to statistics, up to 6 species of bats do not hang upside down when sleeping. Most of them have sucking points in their limbs, allowing them to attach themselves to leaves or other flat surfaces to sleep on.

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