Who are flying foxes? Where do they live, what do they eat, what family do they belong to? In this article, we will answer the questions posed. The animal world is very interesting to people, they constantly watch it.
Appearance
Flying foxes are huge bats belonging to the Batwing family. These animals love to eat flowers and fruits, more precisely, their juice and pulp. Flying foxes grow up to forty centimeters - for mice, these are very large sizes. The span of one wing reaches one and a half meters. The appearance of the Javanese kalong (as flying foxes are also called) is quite awesome. They have a small pointed muzzle, the tail and ears of the animal are small.
In nature, there are more than fifty-five types of kalongs. Flying foxes, or rather their muzzle, are very similar to a fox or a dog. These animals live in Oceania and Madagascar, South and East Asia, Australia and New Guinea. In Latin, the name of flying foxes also sounds a biteerily - pteropus. But in fact, these are cute creatures that do not eat meat.
Similar to other animals
Kalong (or big flying fox) is the largest among all other types of fruit bats. The color of the body is black, the head and neck are reddish. Rare slippery fur grows over the body.
Kalong and the red cheat are very similar not only in their faces. These animals have well developed hearing. It is he who helps them find the right food. Also, flying foxes bear some resemblance to bats: leathery wings and an active lifestyle at night.
Kalongs do not eat meat, only fruit juice and pulp. This is their main difference from bats. This seemingly intimidating animal is a vegetarian. Also, flying foxes do not have echolocation devices. The ancestors of the Kalongs had something similar, they made sounds so that you could easily navigate at night.
Flying foxes live in large flocks in the same place. If no one bothers the animals, they will stay there for many years. Usually kalongs like to live in dense forests, but they can still be found in the mountains, at an altitude of up to a thousand meters above sea level.
Animal Agility
The giant flying fox usually rests during daylight hours. She clings to the branches of trees with her paws and sleeps or simply is without movement. Also, kalong can settle in a hollow or cave, grabbing onto uneven walls. He clasps his body with large wings, as if hiding himself with a blanket. Sometimes flying foxesit gets very hot (during the summer). But smart animals fan themselves with their huge wings, creating a breeze for themselves.
During the night "hunt" flying foxes also show all their agility and agility. Right on the fly, the animal tries to pluck the fruit seen from afar. But usually fruit bats simply cling to a tree branch with one paw, and pick the fruit with the other. First, the foxes put it in their mouths, then crush it, suck out the juice and eat away part of the pulp. Whatever is left of the kalong fruit will spit down to the ground.
Krylanov can be called both helpers and pests of nature. On the positive side, flying foxes disperse seeds. But the negative can be called damage to fruit trees, and even entire plantations.
Benefits of flying foxes
Kalongs breed in early spring (March-April). The female carries the cub for about seven months. When a flying fox gives birth to a small fruit bat, it immediately takes it with it for the first time. Only when the cub becomes independent (somewhere in two or three months), the mother leaves him on a branch, and she flies away for food.
Since recently, the giant flying fox has been listed on the IUCN Red List. At the moment, the fruit bat is not an endangered species, but a stable one. "Flying fox", "fruit mouse", "flying Zorro" - these are all the names of these vegetarian animals.
The fruit bats have very interesting teeth by nature, they are specially sharpened for eating fruits and leaves. Local farmers appreciateflying foxes, they help people. Mice pollinate wild and cultivated plants, and the people live by selling fruits, so they are happy to meet these funny animals in their gardens.
Exotic animal in Russia
Recently, the Russian population has the opportunity to look at a huge fruit bat at the exhibition of the Nizhny Novgorod Exotarium. Many people want to look at an unusual exotic animal. After all, this exhibition is the only one where you can get acquainted with the flying fox.
The exotarium for kalong tries to create the most comfortable conditions for your stay. A spacious room for the first time should be of such size that the animal could not fly. This makes it easier for the employees of the exotarium to accustom the flying fox to people, and simply take care of it. So far, only a female named Tanakha can be seen at the Nizhny Novgorod exhibition, but soon she will not be alone.
