the.com/flying fox
a giant bat that votes for figs, not vampires, and pollinates entire rainforests on the wing.
means A large fruit-eating bat of the genus Pteropus, found across Asia, Africa, and Australasia, named for its fox-like face and reddish fur.
from A descriptive English compound, coined by sailors and naturalists struck by the resemblance: these huge bats have the pointed snout, big eyes, and rusty coat of a fox, yet hang and glide on leathery wings. The 'fox' half nods to the head; the 'flying' half states the obvious miracle. 'Fox' itself is an old Germanic word, while 'fly' traces back to Old English 'fleogan,' to move through the air — a plain pairing for a creature that is anything but.
- wingspan
- Up to 1.7 meters, eagle-sized and fruit-obsessed.
- diet
- Nectar and fruit, never a drop of blood.
- good eyesight
- They navigate by vision, not echolocation.
- ecosystem role
- Key pollinator and seed-disperser for tropical forests.
- daytime habit
- They roost in massive screeching tree colonies.
pteropus vampyrus — largest bat species with 1.7 meter wingspan, found in southeast asia
grey-headed flying fox — common in eastern australia, roosts in colonies of thousands in sydney and melbourne
tongan flying fox — endangered species native only to tonga in the south pacific