Bayer used heart rate as a means of tracking the Central American bat's energy use to gain new insight into the animal's flights; his findings highlight the potential of accelerometry-based metrics to inform conservation. Credit: José Gabriel Martínez-Fonseca

Bats are not only a marvel of myth and imagination but also of energy use, working at the height of their energetic ceiling to fly the night skies the world over.

They've captured the attention of University of Rhode Island Ph.D. student Travis Bayer, who seems to have an affinity for elusive and mysterious animals . In fact, Bayer's master's thesis centered on tracking very large neotropical bats (Phyllostomus hastatus) in Panama. With a wingspan exceeding 2 feet (0.6 meters), they're the second-largest species of bat in the Americas and possess an exceptionally powerful bite. They also have fascinating foraging strategies and behaviors.

The greater spear-nosed bat combines an incredibly flexible diet with a surprisingly complex social life.…