"Bats Use 'Leapfrog' Behavior to Avoid Predators and Return to Roost, Study Reveals"
Researchers have discovered that greater horseshoe bats engage in a "leapfrogging" flight pattern when returning to their roosts after foraging, likely to avoid predators. Using trajectory data, the study found that bats spread out in a radius of about a mile before gradually making their way home, with the furthest bat leapfrogging past the closest bat. This behavior helps them maximize foraging time and avoid competition, shedding light on how to conserve their foraging grounds and understand recolonization patterns.