At first glance, flying foxes look more like bats of large dimensions. It must be said that there are of all sizes, and that the largest, the Philippines, can reach two meters with both wings open . Impress, there is no doubt.
Now, despite its scientific name (Pteropus vampyrus) This mammal does not feed on blood or mosquitoes, but on nectar, flowers and pollen. Our adorable flying foxes they are in fact an essential piece in ecosystems like those present in Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei, Tonga or Australia: they are pollinators, like bees, and thanks to them new arboreal species can reproduce.
We are sure that you will like to know more facts about flying foxes and that you, too, will share this information to defend its existence, to avoid that every day we have less flying foxes due to the unstoppable deforestation.
Flying foxes 10 curious facts about its importance
1. They are megachiroptera
Something that is going to call the attention of the flying foxes is that they are megachiroptera, that is, unlike the great part of the bats that we usually know, they lack the ability to echolocate.
2. Do not live in caves like bats
They live in the trees, and not in the caves, they live in wonderful natural spaces from which they can feed on the most select that the land offers: fruit, nectar, pollen ...
Flying foxes are skilled climbers and no one can beat them when it comes to flying, where they can go from cup to cup and from branch to branch to reach the juiciest fruit, the largest flower to feed on and, almost without realizing it , pollinate it.
3. They have incredible sight and hearing
These "bats" do not have "that radar" so fascinating that they have their most common relatives to orientate themselves in the night, our flying foxes They have a very sharp view and an unbelievably developed sense of smell.
4. Maintain the natural balance of the ecosystem
Thanks to the flying foxes, the natural balance of many countries continues to evolve in an infinite number of environments and ecosystems: they live in bamboo forests, in mangroves and even in swamps. It is known that they love eucalyptus, and that in Australia, they can migrate to great distances and go into very thick and isolated areas to create new colonies.
5. They are nomads
Believe it or not, and this fact is also fascinating, the flying foxes love to change their place of residence every so often, they are born nomads and spend a few days in coastal areas, then fly to more arid areas or tropical forests. Where they can match the flowering of their favorite fruits and flowers. They are very exquisite!
6. The terrible situation of flying foxes
However, this is where the real problem of flying foxes lies: they need trees, flowers, plants, fruits ... And today, natural spaces change day by day, roads are created, urbanizations, industrial areas, are changed the course of the rivers, forests are burned ... The overall tree mass is decreasing , and from there, that there are many volunteers and organizations dedicated to saving them, taking care of them.
7. Kills and abandoned children
It is common to see young abandoned flying foxes after their parents have died, either because of fires or because Farmers in many countries usually kill them. The reason? In view of the fact that there are fewer and fewer trees, they are approaching to local plantations, they devour fruits destined for the sale of the farmers, with which, they do not hesitate to kill them. All a shame.
8. The drama after lovely pictures of flying fox pups
In fact, we are sure that you have seen many adorable pictures of baby foxes flying in blankets that are given the bottle. It's charming, we know, but those are not your natural means.
9. There are many species
For example, there are more than 60 species of flying fox in the trees and skies of continents such as Asia, Oceania and Africa. It makes sense, because it is a creature that has had a long time to evolve, since fossils of a first group of flying foxes dating back at least 35 million years ago have been documented.
10. They mate upside down
It sounds like a dangerous activity and it is: flying foxes appear while hanging from the trees. In order not to fall, the female clings tightly to the ankles of her partner. Then, nature demonstrates its wisdom once, endowing the flying fox male with a virile member of practically a quarter of its total body size. These dimensions help the couple not to fall off in the middle of mating.
Flying foxes are in our nature to pollinate trees and plants, not to live in reserves or zoos. We hope that the situation improves in the coming years and that those who hunt them are increasingly aware of the great importance they have. Do you agree with the essence of their presence in our forests and jungles? If you liked this article, discover also the panda bat .
Image: Wellsman2010 , Sexecutioner , Lucia Terui