Catching Prey

frog-eating or fringe-lipped bat, Trachops cirrhosus

A frog-eating or fringe-lipped bat (Trachops cirrhosus) about to mistakenly attack a poisonous leaf litter toad (Bufo typhonius). Neither was harmed, because the bat discovered its mistake at the last split second and just lightly touched the toad without biting, because it detected the toad was poisonous. This photo was part of a National Geographic article published in January 1982 and was selected as one of their all-time most famous photos and featured as a two-page spread in the National Geographic Society's centinnial book, "100 Years of Adventure and Discovery," published in 1987. "100 Years of Adventure and Discovery," published in 1987.

1979Central AmericaLatin AmericaMerlin Tuttle's Bat ConservationPanamaPhyllostomidaecatching leaf litter toad Bufo typhoniuscatching preyfrogeating or fringelipped bat Trachops cirrhosusleaf litter toad Bufo typhonius