How many kinds of bats are there?

There are at least 925 different kinds of bats worldwide. Within the population of mammals, bats are second only to rodents. Bats account for about one-fifth of all mammals on Earth.

Bats live all over the globe, except in polar regions and certain island locations. The species are most diverse in tropical rain forests, but they are also found in deserts, urban and suburban areas, fields, temperate forests and farmlands. They are limited only by roosting sites and the availability of food. Most bats are insectivores, although some eat fruit, nectar, rodents, reptiles, fish and even other bats. Their life span ranges from 10 to 25 years, which is more than three times longer than other small mammals.