How Our Reporter Learned to Love Bats

Sam Anderson, the host and reporter behind the podcast “Animal” for The New York Times Magazine, went on a journey to Mexico to conquer his fear of bats. He’s not alone. Bats seem spooky. They live in the dark. They don’t fly like birds, in big, smooth arcs — they flit, twisting and flapping and tumbling like confetti in a wind tunnel. They’re prevalent in scary tales for children. But they are also major contributors to the ecological balance around the world. Hear more about Sam’s experience and whether he learned to love bats on “Animal.”