Bats Use Sound Maps for Long-Distance Navigation

Echolocating bats have been found to possess acoustic cognitive maps, enabling navigation over kilometers using sound alone.

Bats can navigate up to three kilometers back to their roosts using echolocation, even after being displaced.
Researchers discovered that 95% of bats returned home successfully using only echolocation.
Environmental features like trees and roads serve as acoustic landmarks for bats, aiding in their navigation.
The study revealed that bats enhance navigation by combining echolocation with vision when available.
These findings highlight the bats' ability to create and use an acoustic mental map of their home range.