Discover Mammals That Take Flight

The Only Mammals That Fly

Most mammals walk, swim, or climb, but some have mastered the skies. Bats are the only true flying mammals, using echolocation to navigate in the dark. Other mammals, like flying squirrels and colugos, glide gracefully between trees.

Flying mammals play important roles in ecosystems, from pollinating flowers to controlling insect populations. Their unique adaptations make them some of nature’s most incredible creatures.

Did You Know?

• Bats make up 20% of all mammal species.
• Flying squirrels can glide over 150 feet in a single leap.
• Colugos are known as “flying lemurs” but aren’t true lemurs.
• Bats are the only mammals capable of true, sustained flight.