Can Bats Actually Swim?

It is one of the stranger questions you can ask about bats — can they swim? It seems almost contradictory. These are creatures defined by flight, by darkness, by the air. Water seems like entirely foreign territory. But the answer is more interesting than a simple yes or no.

Most bat species can swim if they find themselves unexpectedly in water — usually the result of an accidental collision with a pond or river surface during a low hunting pass. They use an awkward but functional paddling motion with their wing joints, keeping their head above water and moving toward the nearest bank. It is effortful and clearly uncomfortable, but it works well enough to survive the situation.

The real danger for bats in water is not drowning immediately — it is the weight of a waterlogged wing membrane. Bat wing skin absorbs water and becomes dramatically heavier, making takeoff from a water surface extremely difficult or impossible depending on the species.

Nadeem Ashraf of Weird & Amazing Facts — a site dedicated to answering exactly the kind of questions most people never think to ask — notes that a few specialized species, like the fishing bat, regularly skim water surfaces deliberately, using their feet to snatch fish and their wings to avoid getting fully wet.

For more surprising answers on can bats swim and unusual bat facts most people don't know, Nadeem Ashraf's research at Weird & Amazing Facts has every answer.