Everyone has an opinion regarding bats, which makes them rather polarizing. You’re either intrigued by the creatures, or purely terrified by them.

Dr. Merlin Tuttle, an ecologist and founder of Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation, loves bats. He has spent his lifetime traveling the globe to learn more about these winged critters and their role in nature. He’s observed thousands of bat species up close (he’s even had a few fly up his shirt and pant leg), and has learned there’s more to appreciate than fear when it comes to bats.

Tuttle has dedicated his life to changing the preconceived notions about bats, and his new book, The Secret Lives of Bats, is a personal story that documents the many reasons to appreciate, rather than fear, bats.

Often, it’s said we need to come face-to-face with our fears to overcome them. After you look at these bat vanity shots, you’ll wonder why you ever feared something so cute.