Several social media users have posted an image of white fury bats claiming that it is an image of a
real white bat.
The viral image has been shared by a twitter mean account with caption,
Are white bats really look like fluffy Pomeranians?
Southcheck found the claim to be false as it a stuffed doll and not real.
We started the investigation by performing a rivers image search using the viral image and found
you say image uploaded on a shopping website Etsy. Etsy is a global online marketplace, where people come together to make, sell, buy and collect unique items.
The Pomeranian like white bats were described as ‘Three White Bats/Gothic Bat/Halloween/FlyingFox/Bat/dollhouse/Miniature/realistic bat/Vampire bat/Gothic gift ideas/Halloween bat’ on the website.
Moreover, white bats also exist.
According to Rainforest Alliance, ‘With an average length of 3.7 – 4.7 cm, Honduran white bats are tiny for a bat. True to their name, they have a fluffy white coat. Their ears, face, nose and parts of their legs and wings are bright orange. Almost no hair grows on their black wings. Since their nose protrudes from their face in a triangular shape, scientists call members of their family “leaf-nosed bats.” There is a thin, black membrane covering their skull that might provide the bats with protection from ultraviolet radiation—a natural form of sunscreen!’
Real white bat or Honduran white bats can be seen below.
Hence it is evident that the viral image does not show real white bats.