Catfish vs. Bat | National Geographic

this is the home of one of the most
remarkable animal athletes on the planet
this is a fishing bat here in a forest
in southern Belize she’s coming out of
her home in this cedar tree to pinpoint
the sound of her prey here’s what she’s
after
fish leading at the surface of the water
the mother Babb readies to swoop down
and capture a meal she has to fuel up so
she can make milk for her hungry baby
called a pup now
with the speed timing and artistry of an
all-star football league receiver she
skimmed she scores
whoa let’s see that again truth be told
this mother path is even more artful
than an NFL tight end because she’s
using perfect timing to grab a prize
that doesn’t want to be grabbed a mother
bat will sometimes catch an e 30 fish in
one night lest you think that’s unfair
for the fish
well tell think again sometimes prey
bites back even as these bats flutter
around in search of their next meal
these catfish eyeball the bats waiting
for one to slip up the bats swoop down
to refresh themselves only vaguely aware
of the catfish I mean Chuck what’s to
worry about the bats are quick agile and
air worthy the catfisher slow sluggish
and sea-bound then one bat dives with
too much enthusiasm it becomes
waterlogged and can’t achieve liftoff
now the catfish have a chance the bad
rashes and frustration
the catfish stir the more the bat Royals
the waters the more it excites the fish
the catfish move in for the capture the
bat tries to scramble up a rock but it’s
too slippery the slow deliberate catfish
crabs the quick agile bat in its jaws
but the spike of fear powers the bat out
of its reach at the last possible second
the soggy bat flies off and hangs itself
to dry pondering a near-death experience