[Avodah] Bat issues

[Shoshana L. Boublil]

> Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:16:40 -0800
> From: Saul.Z.Newman at kp.org
> Subject: [Avodah] bat issues

> http://www.rationalistjudaism.com/2011/11/bat-responsa.html
> 
> some modern  torah  approaches  to  realities  of  today's science,  in
> this  case  bat  reproduction

[SLB writes] I read the article and propose a different solution - learn the
science:

Female bats use a variety of strategies to control the timing of pregnancy
and the birth of young, to make delivery coincide with maximum food ability
and other ecological factors. Females of some species have delayed
fertilization, in which sperm are stored in the reproductive tract for
several months after mating. In many such cases, mating occurs in the fall,
and fertilization does not occur until the following spring. Other species
exhibit delayed implantation, in which the egg is fertilized after mating,
but remains free in the reproductive tract until external conditions become
favorable for giving birth and caring for the offspring. In yet another
strategy, fertilization and implantation both occur but development of the
fetus is delayed until favorable conditions prevail. All of these
adaptations result in the pup being born during a time of high local
production of fruit or insects. 
(from Wikipedia, so pls if this incorrect - notify them).
======================
Now here is a scientific description of chicken reproduction:

The sperm live inside the female reproductive system and each time an
ovulation occurs (every 24-26 hours in good egg producers) the egg can
become fertile. (http://www.ruleworks.co.uk/poultry/reproduction.asp)

So, a specific element of the reproductive process is the same for chickens
(egg laying) and bats (nursing mammals).
 
In essence, using terminology from the time of Chazal (and not modern
scientific jargon) the majority of animals, do not have delayed
fertilization. This is a unique situation. Both reproductive methods are
similar, and different from regular mammal fertilization.

If you look at the information, it sounds like Chazal actually had a pretty
good idea of the correct reproductive system of bats.

Shoshana L. Boublil

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