Bats hone their abilities to covertly listen in, a skill essential for their survival
Fringe-Lipped Bats Learn to Identify Edible Frogs Through Experience
A groundbreaking study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B in 2022 has revealed that fringe-lip bats learn to distinguish between edible and toxic frogs by eavesdropping on their specific mating calls. This discovery sheds light on the bats' remarkable ability to learn from their environment and adapt their behaviour accordingly.
The study aimed to determine if fringe-lip bats are genetically hard-wired to identify frog calls or if they learn them from experience. The research, conducted by Page's lab, found that these bats indeed learn these calls through experience, rather than relying on innate abilities.
Fringe-lip bats have the ability to distinguish between tasty and toxic frogs based on their calls. Young bats, after exposure to various frog calls and consequent prey encounters, learn to associate certain calls with a good meal and others with poisonous or too-large prey, helping them avoid dangerous or inedible frogs.
Juvenile fringe-lip bats often respond to the calls of poisonous toads, while adults ignore those calls. Interestingly, some juvenile bats show little interest in the calls of frog species they typically eat, such as the túngara.
To further explore this fascinating behaviour, researchers are working on a study to understand how bats respond to a mixture of calls from different frogs and toads. The study also plans to delve into the extent to which bats may share some of the fundamental building blocks of human communication, including speech and music.
The new study suggests a combination of social learning and trial-and-error might be at play in how young fringe-lip bats learn about frog calls. The data for the study originated 17 years ago from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.
Researchers are equipping bats with mini-backpacks carrying tiny microphones and sending them back into the wild to study their hunting behaviour. Fringe-lipped bats navigate using echolocation, and research indicates that they can maintain associations learned through training for up to four years.
This research is a reminder that behaviour can be plastic and shaped by learning and experience. Eavesdropping is an important skill for many animals, including bats and humans, and studying these bats allows researchers to explore shared cognitive abilities.
In summary, fringe-lipped bats use auditory cues—the mating calls of frogs—and through learning and experience, they identify and select frogs that are safe to eat while avoiding those that produce toxins or are otherwise unpalatable.
- Investigations in environmental science have unveiled that not only humans but also fringe-lip bats utilize learning and experience to adapt their behavior.
- This discovery in nature opens possibilities for exploring similar learning mechanisms in various other species, such as penguins or even the unique species indigenous to forests.
- As the health-and-wellness industry places great emphasis on personal growth and learning, understanding the cognitive abilities of fringe-lipped bats could lead to new insights for human behavioral development.
- Adopting progressive learning strategies, just like fringe-lipped bats, could also foster a more adaptable mental health in humans, as well as enhance overall fitness-and-exercise performance.
- Delving into thelearning processes of fringe-lip bats may inspire innovative approaches in the education-and-self-development sector, promoting a more interactive, experiential style of education.
- With technological advancements, researchers can now equip these bats with the latest wearable technology, like mini-backpacks with microphones, to further study their hunting techniques relevant to home-and-garden design and construction.
- The study of fringe-lipped bats could lead to significant advancements in the food-and-drink industry, fostering new techniques for identifying safe and nutritious alternatives, like identifying which frogs are edible.
- As learning is not confined to a single field, the insights gained from studying fringe-lipped bats can contribute to enhancing our comprehension of various facets of life, from scientific research to lifestyle choices.
