Beauty or beast? The world's most polarising creature in pictures
These photos show bats as complicated and emotive creations of nature
A long-haired rousette, Rousettus lanosus, at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkA big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkEgyptian fruit bats at a huge bat cave near Jacana Lodge in the Maramagambo Forest. The bats here have tested to have the Marburg virus.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkA large flying fox, Pteropus vampyrus, at the Columbus Zoo.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkNaked-tailed bats (Molossidae family) from Chitengo Camp in GNP
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkYuma myotis, Myotis yumanensis, at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville, Washington.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkAn Indian flying fox , Pteropus giganteus, at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkA critically endangered Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus).
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkA Townsend's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii, at the Sulphur Creek Nature Centre.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkA hoary bat, Lasiurus cinereus, at the Sulphur Creek Nature Centre.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkA greater fruit-eating bat, Artibeus lituratus, at the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Gainesville, Florida.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkAn island flying fox, Pteropus hypomelanus.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkA female Eastern red bat, Lasiurus borealis, in Florida.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkA greater spear-nosed fruit bat, Phyllostomus hastatus, at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkA lesser short-nosed fruit bat, Cynopterus brachyotis, at the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Gainesville, Florida.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo ArkSeba's short-tailed fruit bat, Carollia perspicillata, at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.
Photograph by Joël Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark