Malayan Flying Fox 2 - closeup

Malayan Flying Fox
(Pteropus vampyrus)
Also known as the Common Flying Fox

Order: Chiroptera
Family: Pteropodidae


THIS one is a She - Her name is Camilla.

* In reality a bat, the Malayan flying fox has a wingspan up to 79 inches in length and weighs 53 ounces.


FUN FACTS:

* The Malayan flying fox is the largest bat in the world.

* It is called the "flying fox" because its face resembles that of a fox.

* As it does not hunt moving prey, the flying fox doesn't rely on echolocation to find its way around.

* Some cultures believe the species' meat contains curative properties for asthma.

* A group of 40 bats can disperse 150,000,000 seeds around the entire rain forest in one year.

* The flying fox opens and stretches its mouth in a yawn before going to sleep.

* Large numbers of flying foxes are called "camps."

* The Malayan flying fox cannot generate vitamin C (a limitation shared by humans and guinea pigs), thus it must get its supply from the fruit in its diet.

* An awkward landing in a camp's tree during feeding often result in fights among flying foxes and may cause an entire bat-laden tree to become highly agitated, full of fighting and screaming.

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photographed at The Maryland Science Center in Baltimore at a presentation by Rob Miles from the Organization for Bat Conservation – seen regularly on NBC's Today Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Live with Regis and Kelly, television nature programs such as National Geographic and feature length films.