A mysterious creature has been living deep in the woods of the Philippines for a long time. Many people are fascinated by the golden-crowned flying fox because of its huge wingspan and beautiful look. Even though it looks scary, this megabat is safe and only eats fruits, roots, and veggies.
A lot of people are interested in the golden-crowned flying fox, especially after photos of it going viral showed how big it is. At first, these bats were called “human-sized,” which made people both curious and scared. This statement, on the other hand, was a bit too dramatic. The bats’ wingspan is only about 5 feet 6 inches, and their bodies are only 7 to 11.4 inches long and weigh less than 3 pounds.
These nighttime animals only live in the woods of the Philippines, where they live in groups of up to 10,000. They sleep in trees during the day by hanging from their hooked toes, and at night, they fly around looking for food. The golden-crowned flying fox doesn’t use echolocation to find its way like other bats do. Instead, it uses sight and smell.
It’s interesting that these bats are very important to replanting attempts because they spread fig seeds as they eat. That being said, their homes are in danger because over 90% of the Philippines’ old-growth woods have been cut down. Because of this, the number of golden-crowned flying foxes has dropped by 50% between 1986 and 2016, putting them on the list of threatened species.
Even though the law protects these bats, they are still in danger from being hunted and having their homes destroyed. Hunters sometimes kill bats very badly while they are sleeping, leaving hurt animals hanging to trees. It is very important that we bring attention to the situation of these amazing animals and work to protect them.
In spite of their scary image, golden-crowned flying foxes are smart, social animals that can solve problems and do complicated behaviours. Studies have shown that they can remember a lot of things and can even learn to do things in exchange for treats.
As we learn more about these interesting animals, it becomes clear that they are not the scary beasts of myth. Instead, they are harmless, threatened species that need our help. By telling their story, we can help protect the future of the beautiful golden-crowned flying fox and get people to take action.
