January 10, 2026
Ninja rats, bat smackdown
Rats caught on camera hunting flying bats
City rats go full ninja on bats — fans cheer, neighbors fear mosquito mayhem
TLDR: Researchers filmed rats in Germany leaping to catch bats mid‑air and hoarding 52 carcasses, suggesting real bat losses. The comments split between applauding rat ingenuity and alarm over vanishing bats and rising mosquitoes, with some saying it’s ancient behavior finally caught on camera — and a new headache for conservation
Scientists in northern Germany filmed brown rats leaping from cave ledges to snag bats mid‑flight — 13 confirmed kills and a secret stash of 52 bodies. The community reaction? Pure chaos. Team Rat is loud and proud, with neom beaming, “Rats are the best! :)” and others praising their street‑smart adaptability. Team Bat is worried: Berlin commenter oezi says local bats vanished last summer and “mosquitoes are way up,” turning this into a public‑health panic in the making.
The footage shows rats using patience and ninja‑level timing at the cave entrance, plus ground ambushes when bats crawl to roost. Fans call it evolution’s hustle; critics call it a red flag for already stressed bat populations. The snark is strong too: kayo_20211030 jokes, “Go to the larder, Ratty!” while meken’s deadpan “(2025)” sums up the “of course this is happening now” vibe. Skeptics like nephihaha argue this has likely happened for centuries and we just finally caught it on camera — rats don’t need great eyesight when they’ve got elite hearing and whiskers.
Researchers urge keeping rats away from big bat roosts. The thread’s main heat: genius survivor vs. ecological villain. Missed it? There’s even a previous thread for round two of the rat vs. bat cage match
Key Points
- •First documented evidence of rodents intercepting flying mammals: brown rats catching bats mid-flight.
- •Recorded at Segeberg Kalkberg cave in northern Germany using infrared and thermal cameras.
- •Researchers confirmed 13 kills over five weeks and found a cache of 52 bat carcasses, indicating deliberate hunting.
- •Rats used two strategies: aerial interception at the cave entrance and ground attacks on crawling bats, likely guided by whisker and hearing cues.
- •Findings raise conservation concerns for European bats; authors recommend managing rat presence near major roosts.