A pioneering study interpreting bat cries has been conducted by researchers from Tel Aviv University. The scientists discovered that the communicative sound which the animals create have different meanings. 

The study published in the journal of Scientific Reports examined the noises produced by Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) commonly found in clusters inside caves. These species are known for their social and intelligent characteristics. The scientists placed 22 bats in large acoustic chambers installed with voice recognition systems and cameras. The observation, which lasted for 75 days, acquired a total of 19,021 individual calls and 15,000 vocalizations.

Using the voice-recognition program, the researchers were able to sort out four different vocalization types which include the sender and recipient's identity and the context of the message. The first type suggests dispute about an individual's position in the cluster, the second one means argument concerning food, the third type is especially created for males with unwanted mating intentions, and the last one is suggestive of an argument among bats sitting too close with one another.

Co-author Yossi Yovel said that the study "have shown that a big bulk of bat vocalizations that previously were thought to all mean the same thing, something like 'get out of here!' actually contain a lot of information." Bats are not the only animals which create sounds as a form of communication. Wolves, birds, and big cats also have unique vocalizations.

Meanwhile, Professor Kate Jones of the University College of London commended the study saying that "it is like a Rosetta stone to getting into social behaviors. I really like the fact that they have managed to decode some of this vocalization and there is much more information in these signals than we thought."

The researchers aim to conduct future research on the vocalization of Egyptian fruit bats to assess whether the species have known the "language" since they were born or if it was only acquired.