[Leptonycteris curasoae]
Also known as the Southern Long-Nosed Bat, these guys were one of my favorite finds in the Carribean. They are found in Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Columbia, Venezuela, and in some places in Mexico and Central America. I saw them on Curaçao, in the Hato Caves, and instantly fell in love! They're about 3 inches long, and are one of the few types of bats that can see. Because of this, they don't have sonar, and their eyes are very sensitive to light. The flash of your camera can blind them! They eat fruit and pollen, and huddle together for warmth in groups of ten or fifteen. Their most distinguishing characteristic is a leaf-like flap on their noses, the feature that gives these little guys their name.
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