True Love
Understanding hidden sacrifices
When we talk about maternal instincts, we usually associate it with birds. Mother hen, sitting on eggs, taking someone under one’s wings, etc. But I saw something that a mother had to do for her young that put the birds to shame.
Female bats have to fly with their babies. Think about that for a second. As humans, we dread flying with babies and the plane is literally doing the heavy lifting. The mother bat has to hunt or forage with the baby. That means strapping on ballast while hungry before engaging in a high-intensity exercise.
If the bat eats fruits or nectar, it is less of an issue to fly with a baby. Plants are not going to run away. If the prey is insects or other vertebrates, the prey is not going to slow down to even up the game. Even if the prey is sleeping, the blood-sucking bats have to stick around for half an hour. Imagine sitting quietly with a colicky baby for thirty minutes. Well, we do not have to imagine as some humans apparently slept soundly through the feeding session.
In some species, the other relatives might render some assistance but the mother usually does the work. While the young bat can fly after a few weeks, it is still not independent. It takes about three months for the young bat to be independent.
Which is probably why bats are the only flying mammal. All the other mothers would have thrown in the towel earlier.
Children begin by loving their parents. As they grow older they judge them, sometimes they forgive them. — Oscar Wilde
Health Advisory:
Do not call mommy a bat. She may not understand the context.