Night Animals That Have Amazing Characteristics:
It is neglected and often misunderstood that fruit bats are one of the most astonishing animals in our planet. As a result of evolution, these amazing flying mammals have filled vital pest roles as prominent pollinators and seed dispersers. These animals are less known than their insect eating relatives but tend to capture more of the imagination.
In this post, we will focus on all aspects of fruit bats such as their different kinds, habits, and what they do for us? They are called fruit bat, flying fox fruit bat and their close relatives are surprisingly much more interesting than just being animals that eat fruits. In addition, we will look into the new trend and how these animals found their way into culture by inspiring groups?
You will appreciate their remarkable features, what role they play in the ecosystems around them? and where you’re most likely going to encounter them in the wild after reading this article?
What is a Fruit Bat?
Fruit bats or flying foxes belong to the huge family of Pteropus, and one of the largest species of bats. Considering the fact that insectivorous bats would feed on insects, fruit bats have specialized in the consumption of fruits, flowers, and nectar. They play an important role in the subtropical and tropical ecosystems. The Fruit bats play roles of assisting in pollination of flowering plants and dispersal of seeds that help in sustaining biodiversity.
These guys are known also as fruit bat flying like other bats and some of them even have a five-foot wingspan. There are fruit bats that are located in portions of Africa, Asia, Australia, and the pacific Islands. Vampires are sometimes portrayed as nocturnal beasts but this is not true. Fruit bats do not have any thirst for blood but live on fruits like bananas, mangoes and papayas and flower nectar.
Even though it look big and frightening, they have an average size and wing span that is not dangerous to humans. Fruit bats (with their large eyes) have the ability seeing in the dark, and in contrast to other species of bats, they are not echolocators.
Different Types:
Different species of fruit bats come in a range of colors and sizes, and each type is distinguished by a trait or two. These are some of the more iconic species.
The flying fox:
The most recognizable of the species is the flying fox fruit bat racceed. These bats are ‘flying foxes’ because their fox like faces with big eyes and sharp noses. This species can be among the biggest bats in the world with a 5 ft wingspan. They are mainly located in the Southeast Asia regions, Australia and the pacific islands.
Although the flying foxes are large, they are calm animals and are not viciously aggressive to human beings. Their primary food is nectar and fruit. In addition, it has been observed to travel long distances to search food. Moreover, flying foxes can contribute significantly to flower pollination and seed dispersion over long distances thus allowing a variety of plants to survive in such an environment. Therefore, forests and ecosystems would not be healthy without these bats.
Egyptian Fruit Bat:
The Egyptian fruit bat ( Rousettus aegyptiacus ) was not as large as a flying fox, but it has some ecological significance. It has a wingspan of near 2 feet and native to the middle east and a section of Africa. They are often seen roosting in large colonies that are found in caves and on cliffs.
Similarly, the Egyptian fruit bat is also able to navigate using echolocation which helps it greatly in foraging. Besides assisting them to move without impairing obstacles, they have an upper hand over other fruit bat species through this echolocation. They also do pollination and getting the seeds to spread which conserves the forests and other nature and places.
The Golden-Capped Fruit Bat:
In various parts of Asia, one could find the golden capped fruit bat (Rousettus leschenaultii) which is of lesser size than other bats to emerge from India and Southeast Asia. It is covered with golden fur on the head which makes it different than all other fruit bat species. Relative to the flying fox, the golden-capped fruit bat is smaller in size but it is equally important to the ecosystem.
Golden-capped fruit bats feed on tropical fruits like figs. Their food includes figs and other tropical fruits. They play a role in pollination and ensure several plants in their ecosystems .
The Giant Fruit Bat:
One of the largest fruit bats is called gigantic fruit bat (Pteropus giganteus) and it may also be greater than 5 feet across the wingspan. They are found in South Asia, especially in India and the neighboring territories. These giant fruit bats are very powerful and excellent flyers, they can cover a distance over hundreds of kilometers in search of food.
As all fruit bats, they contribute greatly to the pollination and seed dispersion of plants, ensuring the biodiversity of the forests of the region. The primary foods of these bats are mangoes, guavas and bananas.
The Golden Fruit Bat:
As a member of the family, the golden bats has beautiful golden fur only, mixed with its non-aggressive character, as it is not as large as other species in the family. Golden fruit bats is native to an area in Southeast Asia, or the Philippines in particular, and contributes to maintaining the ecosystem balance. Such is the bat like other family members, it consumes fruits and nectar, which aids in the process of seed dispersion and polin.
Size and Appearance:
Their size is considered to be one of their most striking features. Although there is variation among species, these animals are larger than all other bat breeds. Consider the flying fox which is over five feet long in terms of wingspan, placing her among the largest bats on earth. Even though, this animal possess peace loving natures, they do not present a threat to people regardless of their big body size.
This animal are recognized for their unique looks which include having circular, big eyes which assist in their navigation during the night. Their face shapes resemble that of foxes which is the origin of the name “flying fox”. A different species, the golden-capped animal is smaller in size, but captivating in appearance. Its fur’s color is golden making it different from several other species.
The wingspan of this animal can range as far as 5 feet. They have long flexible wings which assist them to move around in gliding. This expansive wing span means that this bat can traverse long distances in search of food.
Fruit Bats in Popular Culture:
Giant Fruit Bat have been known to make a difference in the popular culture. The band does not possess any special song about bats, but the name evokes the idea of magic and beauty of these animals. The band name is the perfect supplement to their dreamy, nature-reminded sound that can be compared to the mysterious and magical essence of fruit bats.
Whereas the topic of Fruit Bat Size does not exactly get into the center point of the band, it would be clear that the interaction with the natural scenery cannot be ignored at all. The name creates awareness on the beauty of these mammals, attributing them a greater cultural significance.
The life of a Fruit Bat:
These are social animals living in large colonies, and in rare incidences, they attain populations of hundreds and thousands. These colonies sleep during the day in high trees or caves upside down hanging. They come out during dusk when they seek food.
These animals feeds on fruit, smooth trees and flowers. Due to their long and wide wings, they are able to fly long distances in search of food. At night you can observe them as they slide from tree to tree, and with them they have fruit to eat.
These animals also aid in spreading seeds along with pollinating. In the process of feeding on fruits, they carry seeds to distant areas that allow the development of a number of new plants. This plays a very significant role in sustaining the health of most of the ecosystems; most especially in the tropics.
They are offered tours in many semi-tropical and tropical holiday locations where you can watch these amazing animals in action. There are some of the best regions to observe the these animals such as in Southeast Asia, Africa and some regions of Australia.
Golden Fruit Bat:
In countries such as the Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines, these bats are seen in such massive numbers in tall trees and caves where they rest during the day. As they come near dusk, these bats are seen flying in huge numbers increasing breathtaking swarms around sizzling search for food.
In Australia, flying foxes seem to be abundant with these bats and are easier to find in Queensland where they are seen feeding on tropical fruits. This region is also popular priding watching tours where they offer tourists to watch the bats as they leave their roosts during sunset. It is quite amazing to observe these hundreds- even thousand of these bats burst out in the thousands.
Conclusion:
Golden Capped are among the most attracting creatures that ensure the world has healthy ecosystems. They comprise giant flying fox and smaller golden-capped Cute Fruit Bat that facilitate pollination and seed dispersion in the tropics.It is quite sad that this animal are very important because they are indeed very beautiful animals and important for the survival of many plants. Whether you want to watch them in the wild by taking a tour or enjoy the music of the band, the Egyptian fruit bat, they are bound to inspire and capture our attention in the many years to come.
