A Dose of Wild and Wonderous Weirdness: Ectophylla alba, tiny white bats of La Selva

Bats are the most diverse group of mammals in Costa Rica and in La Selva Biological Station. Of the 110 species found in the country, there are 70 found at La Selva. And among these, the Honduran white bat, Ectophylla alba (family Phillostomidae) is, without a doubt, the most charismatic of all. The white bats are tiny, with bodies about the size of a cotton ball, with white pelage and yellow noses and ears. This is one of the species that modifies plants to make their rest areas, biting along the vein of a large Heliconia sp. leaf, essentially making a camping tent. Bats are useful, fascinating, and essential species for a healthy ecosystem and they provide many benefits to humans. Always remember that not all bats are vampires!