Mexican Free-Tailed Bat

bat · speed champion · night flyer

Super speedy flyer. Mexican free-tailed bats are claimed to be the fastest animals moving horizontally, reaching speeds of up to 99 miles per hour. That is faster than a cheetah can run.

Tail on the loose. These bats have a tail that sticks out beyond their wing membrane and is almost half as long as their entire body. The tail is totally free and not attached to their wings, which is why they are called free-tailed bats.

High altitude masters. Mexican free-tailed bats fly higher than almost any other bat, reaching altitudes around 10,800 feet. That is higher than many small airplanes fly.

Found across the Americas. These bats live in North, Central, and South America and also in the Caribbean. They are native to a huge range of places across the Western Hemisphere.