Soprano apistrels travel long distances
Wild Chromes/Alamy
Migratory bats use their magnetic senses to travel long distances and adjust their internal compass based on the position of the setting sun each night.
Many animals, including turtles, birds, and possibly humans, may use the Earth’s magnetic field to orient themselves or navigate. Until now, there has been no direct evidence that migratory mammals also use this sense, called magnetoreception.
Migratory bats travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometers each year. As nocturnal voyagers, they cannot rely on visual cues such as:
