The Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox
What kind of bat is the size of a human and lives on an island? The giant golden-crowned flying fox! Found near the Philippines, this is one of the largest bat species in the world. This bat is one of the most interesting ones around, but not many studies have been made to discover more about them. The Bat Conservation International has conducted only a few tests on these animals even though they are on the endangered species list. I think that we should conduct more studies to celebrate these amazing animals, and once you learn more about them you will too.
The giant golden-crowned flying fox is the world's largest species of bat. Also known as the golden-capped fruit bat or the acerodon jubatus, they spread the rumor of the Chupacabra due to their huge size. Being one of the megabats, they have a wingspan of up to 5.6 feet, the size of a human being. Megabats are becoming less rare in the world for many reasons, but recently more megabats have been seen for unknown causes. They are related to the acerodon jubatus lucifer, and the acerodon jubatus mindanensis. The megabats are feared around the world due to their tremendous size but they do not hurt humans. There are no records of attacks by these bats and they drink nectar, not blood.
Golden-crowned flying foxes are herbivores, living off of mostly figs, fruit, and lamio, but humans have been making it harder for them to do so. They can travel up to 25 miles per night to hunt for these foods and they may even fly to nearby islands. These bats are in a constant fight for food because humans have been becoming more numerous each year. In an emergency situation they can also survive on plant leaves. Figs have a lot of calcium so they grow in tremendous size as adults. Like other megabats, these bats can not use echolocation and therefore rely on their sight while hunting. The fruits that they eat are found in rainforests and on islands. In areas with a lot of fruit it is not uncommon to see up to 150,000 of these bats together.
The coloring of this bat is where they got the name “fox”. Golden-crowned flying foxes have black wings, and a black and orange body. Unlike most bats, these are one of three species to have no tail. Other bats' tails are small and not easily noticed. The species is known for their resemblance to foxes but there are numerous details that defy this idea. For one, they only have a 8.5 inches body length. And to state the obvious, they have wings unlike a fox. Due to their appearance many people find them frightening, but others see them as something that is cute and should be loved. These bats have smaller canine teeth and larger molars to help with chewing fruits. The face and throat are blackish brown, the back and sides of the neck are maroon, and this coloring continues over the entire body. One study did show that despite a common belief, these bats are not related to the fox.
These bats have two mating seasons and are polygynous, meaning that the males mate with multiple females. The females give birth usually in May and June, and only give birth every other year. The litters usually consist of one pup. The mother bats raise the pups for 6-7 month before they are full grown and ready to leave the den. The bats groom each other, bathe frequently, and the males are known to play fight. The bats live harmoniously with the large flying fox species. These bats were put on the list of top 35 bats that needed to be conserved by the Bat Conservation International (BCI) rating as number 17. They are easily wounded but not easily killed quickly, so poachers can hurt almost 30 and only take 10. Due to their large size it is easy to spot them and shoot. They are easily preyed on by many species of eagles and kites, and are also attacked by pythons frequently. To find out more about how you can help look at the BCI webpage.
So, if these bats are so fascinating why is nobody studying them? Unfortunately the BCI does not have the money to save these animals. If you’re looking to help these animals I’m afraid it’ s not a possibility, since they prefer to live far away from humans. While you won’t be able to hands-on save these guys, you can still help to save other bat species. Putting up a bat house on your property for example is a huge help to your local species of bat. Don’t use pesticides, as they kill all kinds of animals and you can easily find a natural substitute. If you have cats, keep them indoors at night so that they can’t attack any bats. In the case that bats get into your attic or walls, avoid getting rid of them around mating seasons, as young bats can get trapped in the walls if scared. Always remember, everyone can make a difference.
